Houston pitchers combine for 3-hitter, Astros down Guardians 5-2 in matchup of AL division champs

CLEVELAND — Ronel Blanco pitched five scoreless innings and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night in a matchup of division winners that could meet again this postseason.

Blanco (13-6) allowed just a single in five innings and remained unbeaten in his last nine starts. He was replaced by rookie Spencer Arrighetti, who made his first career relief appearance after 28 starts.

Arrighetti was good for two innings but walked the bases loaded in the eighth. As he was lifted, the right-hander was ejected by plate umpire Mark Wegner, who didn't appreciate him spiking the resin bag on the mound.

Bryan Abreu came in and got the Astros out of the jam by striking out rookie Kyle Manzardo and All-Star José Ramírez.

Held to one hit for eight innings, the Guardians got two runs in the ninth off Josh Hader, who finished up.

Victor Caratini and rookie Zach Dezenzo hit back-to-back homers for the AL West champion Astros, who are locked into the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and will host a wild-card series next week.

If they advance, the Astros will play in Cleveland on Oct. 5 in Game 1 of the ALDS.

The Guardians are still chasing the New York Yankees for the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

After going 7-19 in April, Houston has turned it around by going 80-54 — the majors' second-best mark over that span.

Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his first start this season, flirted with another before Will Brennan grounded a single to center with two outs in the fifth.

It's unlikely Blanco would have gone the distance with a light rain falling and the Astros already making plans for the wild card. Only five pitchers have thrown two no-hitters in the same season, the last Max Scherzer in 2015.

After Caratini's hot to right, Dezenzo, who was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land earlier in the day and struck out his first two times up, blasted a 1-2 pitch over the wall in center.

RUN IT BACK?

The Astros are hoping to make another trip to Cleveland in 2024.

Although it's possible the teams could face each other in the ALDS next weekend, Houston manager Joe Espada didn't expect Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt to change anything to avoid tipping off postseason strategy.

“They're trying to finish with the best record in the American League,” he said. “Their style of play isn’t going to change because we’re here. They are a dynamic team. They put the ball in play. They use their speed. I don’t expect them to do anything different."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: LF Yordan Alvarez (knee sprain) ran on a treadmill in Houston and Espada said the slugger is “getting better quickly.” Alvarez got hurt sliding into second on Sunday. Espada said Alvarez will need to be able to hit before he's considered for the wild-card roster due Tuesday. “You can’t just go from what he's doing now to the baseball field,” Espada said. “He’s a really, really good player but we need him to check some boxes.”

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (finger blister) had a productive bullpen session on Thursday as he continues progress from an injury that has sidelined him nearly a month. Vogt was vague in addressing what's next for Cobb, who has made only three starts since being acquired in a trade.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Ben Lively (13-9, 3.80) starts against Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.55), who will be facing Cleveland for the 57th time in his career.