Houston broke open a tie game with a four-run fourth inning, riding Isaac Paredes' two-homer performance to a 9-2 victory over Cleveland at Progressive Field. The Astros snapped a four-game losing streak behind 13 hits and a decisive middle-inning surge.
Paredes went 3-for-5 with two home runs and two RBIs, bookending the scoring with solo shots in the fourth and ninth innings. Christian Walker added three hits and three runs, including a two-run homer in the first inning. Carlos Correa contributed three hits and two RBIs, driving in both runners with a center-field single during Houston's fourth-inning rally.
The fourth inning proved decisive after Cleveland had tied the game 2-2. Paredes homered to left to break the tie, then Matthews doubled to left to score Smith. Correa's two-run single capped the four-run frame, giving Houston a 6-2 lead it never relinquished. The Astros added insurance runs on sacrifice flies by Diaz in the fifth and Smith in the seventh before Paredes' second homer in the ninth.
Spencer Arrighetti earned the victory for Houston, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings with a 2.45 ERA. Slade Cecconi took the loss for Cleveland, surrendering seven runs on 10 hits in five innings. His ERA stands at 6.20.
Houston improved to 8-15 while Cleveland fell to 13-10 despite leading the division. The Guardians had won their previous two games before the setback.