Astros vs Guardians Recap: Guardians Rally Past Astros 8-5

The Houston Astros traveled to Cleveland on Tuesday, April 21, looking to bounce back from a tough loss. The Guardians were ready to defend their home turf at their stadium. Both teams brought their best to the diamond, but Cleveland's bats proved too strong. When the final out was recorded, the Guardians had won 8–5, improving their record to 14–11. The Astros, now 9–16, fought hard throughout the game but couldn't quite keep up. This matchup showed the differences between the two teams early on. Hunter Brown took the mound for Houston as the team's new ace, while Parker Messick started for Cleveland. The Guardians struck first, setting the tone for what would become an exciting back-and-forth contest. Houston's pitching staff is in a new era after losing Framber Valdez to free agency.

Cleveland came out swinging from the very first inning. Ramírez scored when Valera singled to left field, giving the Guardians an early 1–0 lead. The momentum continued in the second inning when Martínez launched a powerful home run to right-center field, traveling 399 feet and making the score 2–0. Houston's Ryan Weiss struggled early as the Guardians' offense wasted no time putting pressure on him. The Astros couldn't answer back immediately, keeping their bats quiet. Meanwhile, Parker Messick was pitching solid baseball for Cleveland, keeping Houston's hitters off-balance. By the end of the second inning, the Guardians had built a cushion that looked difficult for the Astros to overcome. Houston's new pitching era faced challenges right away, and their offense needed to wake up soon to stay competitive.

Houston finally broke through in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to cut Cleveland's lead to 3–2. The Astros were showing resilience and fighting back into the game. In the seventh inning, they added another run when Correa reached on an infield single, making it 4–2. However, the Guardians exploded in the eighth inning in a decisive moment. DeLauter ripped a triple, scoring three runs and giving Cleveland a 6–4 advantage. Manzardo followed with a single, adding two more runs for a commanding 8–4 lead. When the dust settled after eight innings, the Astros had lost all momentum. Houston managed one final run in the ninth inning when Alvarez doubled, but it wasn't enough. Cleveland's balanced pitching staff delivered when it mattered most, and the Guardians held on for the 8–5 victory.