For five and a half innings, the Cleveland Guardians were in control of Friday’s game against the Houston Astros. It’s too bad that games last nine frames and not five, though.
The Astros flipped the score in the bottom of the sixth and ended up beating the Guardians 9-3 in their series opener in Houston. Cleveland is now 40-36 on the season, but thanks to the Chicago White Sox’s defeat, both squads remain tied at the top spot of the AL Central.
Back at it tomorrow night.#GuardsBall | #VoteGuards pic.twitter.com/Or7v5CwShs
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 20, 2026
Tanner Bibee was competitive on Friday, but not good enough to give his team a victory. The right-hander allowed four runs (three earned) in 5.1 innings of work, surrendering four hits and two walks while striking out seven. His ERA for the year is now 4.03.
Christian Walker scored the first run of the game for Houston in the opening frame thanks to a single by Isaac Paredes and a throwing error by right fielder Khalil Watson in the same play.
Cleveland scored its three runs at the top of the third. Brayan Rocchio drove in Travis Bazzana with a double to tie the game, and then Rhys Hoskins belted a two-run homer to put the Guardians ahead 3-1. Jeremy Pena cut the deficit to one with a solo homer in the bottom part of the inning.
The Guardians lost control of the game for good in the sixth. Matt Festa entered with a 3-2 lead and two men on base that belonged to Bibee, and immediately conceded a three-run bomb to Jose Altuve that turned the tables and put Houston ahead 5-3.
Jeremy Pena homered off Daniel Espino in the bottom of the seventh to give the Astros a three-run lead, and an Altuve double plated Yordan Alvarez for Houston’s seventh run. Then, in the eighth, Erik Sabrowski was shaky in his first game back from the injured list, allowing a ground-rule double to Jake Meyers that scored Cam Smith. Pena singled in Meyers with the ninth run, this time off Shawn Armstrong, but the run was charged to Sabrowski.
The Guardians had a rough night from a plate discipline standpoint. They didn’t draw any walks and struck out an astonishing 15 times.
Bazzana and Rocchio racked up two hits each, and Hoskins drove in two with his long ball. On the other hand, Daniel Schneemann wore the Golden Sombrero by going 0-for-4 with four punchouts.
Except for Armstrong, every Guardians pitcher was charged with at least one run: Bibee, Festa, Espino, and Sabrowski. It wasn’t the finest pitching day for Cleveland.
The two teams will continue their series on Saturday night, with Joey Cantillo facing Spencer Arrighetti.
NEXT: Guardians Bullpen Gets Huge Boost With Erik Sabrowski's Return
