Kai-Wei Teng bounced back from a rough stretch and Yordan Alvarez did what Yordan Alvarez does, and the Houston Astros closed out a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday with a 2-1 win at Daikin Park. It was Houston’s third consecutive series win—the first time they have accomplished that this season.
Teng had posted an 8.83 ERA over his previous four starts. Sunday was a different story. The right-hander worked six innings, limiting Cleveland to four hits and one run while walking one and striking out four. He got help from the Guardians’ lineup, which was missing injured third baseman José Ramírez. Teng worked out of trouble in the first inning, striking out two of the final three hitters he faced after allowing singles to open the frame, and did not allow another runner to reach third until the fifth, when Petey Halpin tripled to right-center. Travis Bazzana’s groundout scored Halpin to cut the deficit to 2-1, but Teng retired the next three hitters and turned it over to the bullpen.
Steven Okert, Bryan King, and Josh Hader each threw a scoreless inning to close it out. Hader earned his fifth save.
Alvarez gave Houston all the offense it would need in the first inning, depositing a 2-2 cutter from Slade Cecconi into the right-center seats for his AL-leading 25th home run. He added a walk in the fourth, came around to score on an Isaac Paredes RBI single, and was intentionally walked in the fifth. Paredes finished 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Cecconi kept Houston in check otherwise, scattering six hits across six innings and allowing two runs.
The Astros went 4-2 on the homestand and enter a road trip to Toronto and Detroit at 37-42, three games out of first place in the AL West.
Heading to Daikin Park soon? Check the Astros promotions schedule before your next game.
