CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians fans who believe in bad omens should read no further.
Facing a potential playoff opponent Friday in the final series opener of the regular season, the Guardians fell behind early and did not produce much on offense until the ninth inning as the Astros handed Cleveland a 5-2 loss at Progressive Field.
From a certain perspective, this kind of defeat could be considered a harbinger of ruin for Cleveland as the two clubs are currently aligned for a possible playoff matchup. But the Guardians can take solace in the fact that a lot has to happen between now and Oct. 5 before anything like that comes to pass.
If the Astros were looking to make a statement against the American League Central Division champions, their message was loud and clear. Any team that faces the wild card series-bound West Division champions in the postseason is going to have to earn its victories. Houston, which has reached the AL Championship series in seven consecutive seasons, will not be an easy out.
Astros hitters took advantage of some sloppy Cleveland defense in the first inning to score a run against rookie starter Joey Cantillo, and broke the game open with a two-out rally in the fourth that chased the left-hander from the game.
Starter Ronel Blanco, meanwhile, looked to become the sixth pitcher in major league history to throw multiple no-hitters in a single season. Blanco, who blanked the Blue Jays on April 1, carried a no-hit bid into the fifth inning before Will Brennan broke through with two out in the fifth for Cleveland’s first hit.
Blanco (13-6, 2.80) won his fourth straight decision and has not lost in his last nine starts. Josh Hader allowed a run on two hits in the ninth, but for his 35th save. Houston’s offense out-hit Cleveland, 13-3. Cantillo (2-4, 4.89) has lost for the first time in his last four outings.
Cleveland has dropped seven of its last 10 matchups against the Astros dating back to the start of the 2023 season. With two games remaining in the regular season, the Guardians (92-68) still trail the Yankees by one game for the top seed in the AL playoff bracket.
The Guardians loaded the bases in the eighth inning as Astros rookie Spencer Arrighetti, in relief of Blanco, walked Brennan, Daniel Schneemann and Steven Kwan, but Houston manager Joe Espada summoned righty Bryan Abreu from the bullpen, and the right-hander struck out Kyle Manzardo and José Ramírez to end the threat.
Josh Naylor drew a walk against Hader to open the ninth and moved to second on a base hit by Lane Thomas. Pinch hitter David Fry then drilled a double into the left field corner to put Cleveland on the scoreboard. But Hader recovered to strike out Jhonkensy Noel, and after an RBI ground out by pinch hitter Angel Martinez scored Thomas with the Guardians’ second run, Hader retired pinch hitter Brayan Rocchio to end the game.
Kyle Manzardo of the Guardians reacts after striking out during the fourth inning against the Astros at Progressive Field on Friday. Getty Images
Things started off on the wrong foot for Cantillo and the Guardians defense when Houston’s leadoff hitter, Jose Altuve, stretched a base hit into a double in the first. Thomas’ throw from center field beat Altuve to the bag, and the Astros All-Star was ruled out, but Espada challenged, resulting in an overturned call.
Altuve advanced to third on a Kyle Tucker infield single as Andrés Giménez could not handle the ball up the middle. He scored on Alex Bregman’s RBI sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Houston lead.
Cantillo escaped a jam in the third with two runners in scoring position when he struck out Victor Caratini and rookie Zach Dezenzo, but ran out of gas in the fourth when he walked Houston’s No. 9 hitter, Grae Kessinger, with two out before an Altuve double put runners at second and third.
Cantillo then threw a wild pitch that skipped to the backstop between Bo Naylor’s legs as Kessinger came home for a 2-0 Houston lead. The Astros added a run on Tucker’s RBI single that made it 3-0. Eli Morgan relieved Cantillo and served up solo home runs to Caratini and Dezenzo in the fifth.
It was the eighth time the Astros hit back-to-back home runs in 2024 and the seventh time the Guardians have allowed consecutive homers in 2024.
Next: The series continues Saturday with a 6:10 p.m. start at Progressive Field. Right-hander Ben Lively (13-9, 3.80) will start for Cleveland while righty Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.55) takes the mound for Houston. The game will air on Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM 1100 AM, WMMS 100.7 FM, WARF 1350 AM (Spanish) and the Guardians Radio Network.
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