CLEVELAND (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit his major league-leading 11th home run and Peter Lambert pitched six scoreless innings, leading the Houston Astros to a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday.
Alvarez’s two-run shot in the first inning off Tanner Bibee (0-3) helped the Astros win two of three in the series. Before coming to Cleveland, Houston started 1-9 on the road and dropped eight straight away games.
Lambert (1-1) held the Guardians to three hits in just his second start of 2026. The right-hander began the season at Triple-A Sugar Land before being brought up when the Astros endured a slew of injuries to their starting staff.
Lambert worked out of a two-on jam in the fourth by striking out Cleveland star José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo. He fanned eight.
Four Astros relievers completed the combined five-hitter with Enyel De Los Santos getting the final four outs for his third save.
Alvarez has been among baseball’s hottest hitters. He went 3 for 4, extended his hitting streak to nine games and his on-base streak to 18 and homered for the fourth time in six games.
MIAMI (AP) — Janson Junk and five relievers combined on a three-hitter to lead Miami past St. Louis.
Agustín Ramírez singled twice and drove in a run, and Javier Sanoja had three hits for the Marlins.
Junk (1-2) allowed one hit, walked one and struck out two over five innings. He was lifted after 56 pitches.
Andrew Nardi followed Junk and pitched the sixth and Anthony Bender got three outs in the seventh. Michael Petersen struck out the side in a perfect eighth.
Ivan Herrera homered against Lake Bachar to lead off the ninth for the Cardinals’ run. Bachar then walked Nolan Gorman and retired José Fermin on a flyout. Pete Fairbanks relieved Bachar and got the last two outs for his fifth save.
Owen Caissie hit an RBI single and Jakob Marsee walked with the bases loaded against St. Louis starter Kyle Leahy (2-3) in the second to give Miami a 2-0 advantage.
Singles from Marsee in the fourth and Ramírez in the fifth padded the lead.
Leahy completed five innings, giving up four runs and eight hits. He walked three, struck out two and hit a batter.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nick Martinez dominated his former team for eight innings, helping Tampa Bay avoid a series sweep with a win over Cincinnati.
Martinez (1-1), who signed a one-year, $13 million deal with Tampa Bay this offseason, allowed one run while striking out five a day after the Reds battered the Rays for 12 runs.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Rays. The Reds suffered their first loss in their last six games.
The Rays got to Brandon Williamson (2-2) early. The left-hander issued back-to-back two-out walks in the second, and Tampa Bay made him pay. Ben Williamson singled, Chandler Simpson added a sacrifice fly and Yandy Diaz singled in another run for a 3-0 lead. Junior Caminero homered in the third, and Ryan Vilade singled in Diaz, who had three hits, in the fifth. Caminero drove in another in the seventh.
Williamson allowed five runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked three.
Spencer Steer had an RBI double in the fifth for the Reds.