Jose Altuve slugged a game-altering three-run homer and Jeremy Pena delivered a multi-homer game as the Houston Astros topped the visiting Cleveland Guardians 9-3 on Friday.
The Astros (36-41) improved to 16-10 since May 22 and moved within five games of .500 for the first time since April 17. Altuve and Pena went a combined 5-for-9 with seven RBIs.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (2-8) allowed an unearned run in the first inning and a solo homer to Pena in the third that enabled the Astros to close within 3-2. He departed with one out and two runners on base in the sixth, and Altuve immediately took advantage.
The Guardians (40-36) are 1-3 since Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez all landed on the injured list after suffering injuries in a win over Detroit on June 13.
Altuve launched a first-pitch fastball from Cleveland reliever Matt Festa into the left field seats for his eighth homer and a 5-3 lead.
Pena homered again leading off the seventh, and Altuve added an RBI double later in that frame. Guardians right-hander Daniel Espino surrendered both of those runs.
Pena smacked his fifth and sixth home runs for his third career multi-homer game.
Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (4-3) produced a quality start despite a lamentable third inning.
Imai struck out three batters in the top of the first but also surrendered singles to Travis Bazzana and Brayan Rocchio, foreshadowing his troubles with those hitters two innings later. Imai struck out three batters again in the second while working around a two-out single from Patrick Bailey.
Bazzana keyed a three-run third with a leadoff double. Rocchio drove in Bazzana with a one-out double, tying the score at 1-1. Rhys Hoskins then drilled a 1-1 slider from Imai out to left, his seventh home run covering 376 feet and spotting the Guardians a 3-1 lead.
Imai buckled down following Hoskins’ blast. He retired the final two batters of the third to ignite a string of 11 consecutive batters retired through the completion of his outing. Imai matched his season high by working six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts.
Bibee wound up charged with four runs, three earned, on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He fanned seven and walked two.
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians score vs. Astros. Houston wins behind Jeremy Peña, Jose Altuve
Reporting by Field Level Media, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Field Level Media, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
