Singleton homers, Altuve adds 3 hits as Astros take series with 8-2 win over Guardians

HOUSTON (AP) Jon Singleton homered and had three RBIs and Jose Altuve added three hits to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday night.

The victory gives the Astros, who are last in the AL West at 11-20, consecutive series wins for the first time this season.

“It’s about winning series,” manager Joe Espada said. “That’s the message that we are carrying right now through our club. We have a lot of baseball left and that’s who I want our identity to be right now - just, win series. And if we do that, when we look back this is just going to be ... in the back, rear window.”

Houston trailed 2-1 with one out in the sixth inning when Jeremy Peña tripled on a ball that deflected off the glove of center fielder Gabriel Arias. With two outs, Singleton knocked a ball from Logan Allen (3-2) into the front row in right field to put the Astros up 3-2.

Singleton has started the last three games at first base because slumping veteran José Abreu has been optioned to Houston’s spring training facility to help the 2020 AL MVP get back on track.

“I feel pretty confident and the more opportunities I get, I feel better going forward,” Singleton said.

Singleton has homered twice this week. The lefty hit his only two homers of 2023 in the same game on Aug. 11. He also shined in the bottom of the sixth when Peña grabbed a grounder hit by Arias and he scooped up the throw to first by extending into the splits.

Jake Meyers tripled to start the seventh and Houston stretched the lead to 4-2 when he scored on Altuve's single.

The Astros added a run when Tyler Beede plunked Peña with the bases loaded. Yainer Diaz hit a two-run single with one out in the inning and Singleton made it 8-2 when he drove one in with a sacrifice fly.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti allowed four hits and two runs in a career-long 5 2/3 innings in his fourth major league start. Tayler Scott (1-1) went 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his first career win.

Andrés Giménez hit an RBI double and Will Brennan added three hits for the AL Central-leading Guardians, who dropped their second straight series after losing two of three to Atlanta.

“I thought tonight we were a little flat, expectedly,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “It’s been a long trip, a lot of close games. But it’s not an excuse. We need to play better than we did tonight and we all know that.”

Allen yielded seven hits and three runs - two earned - in 5 2/3 innings.

Giménez gave the Guardians an early lead with his RBI double in the third. Steven Kwan made a great slide to avoid the tag at home on a sacrifice fly by José Ramírez to make it 2-0.

Singleton scored on a passed ball by Bo Naylor with two outs in the third.

Houston's Yordan Alvarez went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts Thursday to extend his slump to 0 for 17 since homering twice last Saturday against the Rockies in Mexico City.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Cristian Javier (neck soreness) will make a minor league rehabilitation start this weekend. Manager Joe Espada said they haven’t yet decided where he will start. … RHP José Urquidy, who hasn’t pitched this season because of an elbow injury, will throw a second live batting practice session Sunday before beginning a rehabilitation assignment.

UP NEXT

Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (2-0, 3.45 ERA) will start the opener of a three-games series against the Angels on Friday night against José Soriano (0-4, 4.76).

Astros: RHP Ronel Blanco (3-0, 1.65) opposes Seattle RHP George Kirby (3-2, 4.18) in the first of three games against the Mariners on Friday night.

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