Astros find a way to beat Guardians in 10 innings thanks to Isaac Paredes and Bennett Sousa

CLEVELAND - Their bullpen limited and lineup lackluster in Saturday's late innings, the Houston Astros salvaged a 5-3 win in 10 innings over the Cleveland Guardians.

Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis came within one pitch of a scoreless top of the 10th. With runners on second and third and two outs, Gaddis built an 0-2 count on Isaac Paredes . Paredes spoiled two sliders. Gaddis tried another and bounced it, past catcher Bo Naylor.

Jake Meyers sprinted home with the go-ahead run. Two pitches later, Paredes punched a fastball into right field for a single, driving in pinch-runner Jacob Melton. The Astros' first hit since the sixth inning gave them a two-run lead.

It was one of just two Houston hits in eight at-bats with a man in scoring position. The Guardians fared worse in those situations, finishing 1-for-10 and stranding 11 men on base.

Bennett Sousa stranded the final two, striking out Jhonkensey Noel to end the game and record his first save with the Astros.

Meager offense undermined the Astros on a day the back end of their bullpen was limited. They took a 3-1 lead into the seventh inning. Neither of their top set-up men, Bryan King and Bryan Abreu, warmed. Steven Okert started the inning and issued a leadoff walk. Shawn Dubin replaced him and surrendered a game-tying, two-run home run to José Ramírez.

Starters Hunter Brown and Gavin Williams traded zeroes for four innings. Jeremy Peña beat a two-out infield hit that scored the game's first run in the fifth. Yainer Diaz delivered a two-run home run in the top of the sixth, building Brown a 3-0 lead.

The Guardians, who made Brown work despite his line, broke through against him in the sixth. Two hits and two walks cut their deficit to 3-1. Brown left with the bases loaded and one out, bequeathing a jam to the left-hander Okert.

Okert defused it, using six pitches to strike out right-handed David Fry and Will Wilson, both swinging at sliders. His return for the seventh reflected a shorthanded bullpen. Abreu had pitched two straight days. King had a multi-inning outing Friday.

Okert issued a leadoff walk to Steven Kwan. Dubin replaced him with a run of four switch- or left-handed hitters looming. Ramírez lined a changeup over the right-field wall for the game-tying home run. Dubin finished the inning and returned for a scoreless eighth. After Diaz's home run, Guardians relievers retired the next 10 batters they faced through the ninth.

Houston used closer Josh Hader for the ninth, aiming to reach extras. Hader achieved that but threw 24 pitches in the inning, dashing any possibility of his returning for the 10th. He still emerged with a win.

A labor for Brown

Brown needed 101 pitches to work 5⅓ innings, just the third time in 13 starts this season that he has failed to complete at least six. For a second straight start, he seemed to battle his command. He walked five batters, tying a career high. It followed an outing against the Rays in which he walked four.

In both starts, his power stuff still subdued opponents. Brown totaled nine strikeouts Saturday, tying his season high. He induced 14 whiffs on 44 swings, touching 99.5 mph on his four-seam fastball and using his curveball and changeup to combat a lineup with seven left-handed hitters.

Brown allowed two hits in his first five innings, both singles by leadoff man Steven Kwan. The fifth began with a delay, as Brown asked for the grounds crew to work on the mound. It ended with Brown sitting at 87 pitches. He returned for the sixth with Okert already warming in the visitors' bullpen.

Brown faced five batters in the sixth. Four reached base. Ramirez struck a leadoff single. Bronw walked Daniel Schneemann. Gabriel Arias lined a sinker to left field, scoring Ramírez. Brown's 3-1 fastball to Bo Naylor missed the zone, bringing manager Joe Espada from the dugout to relieve him.

Okert's escape in the sixth left Brown with a 1.82 ERA. Only six starting pitchers in Astros history have posted a lower one across their first 13 starts of a season. Ramírez's home run ensured Brown's record would remain 8-3.

A cut above

Williams deployed a wrinkle in his pitch usage while holding the Astros to three runs across six innings. The right-hander threw his cutter 9.5% of the time in his first 12 starts this season. It was his most-used pitch Saturday as he threw 36 on 92 pitches, per Statcast, and scaled back the use of his four-seamer.

The Astros put 11 cutters from Williams into play. The first eight went for outs. They perhaps adjusted in his final innings. Jake Meyers doubled on a cutter in the fifth inning. Three batters later, Peña fought off a cutter for his RBI infield single. Diaz homered on a first-pitch cutter from Willams in the sixth.

Speed plays

Williams nearly wriggled out of a fifth-inning jam unscathed. Diaz opened it with a single. Meyers pulled a grounder up the third-base line and into the corner. Williams threatened to strand them.

Mauricio Dubón whiffed on a two-strike sweeper. Brendan Rodgers chased a two-strike curveball in the dirt. Peña punched a first-pitch cutter to the right side. First baseman Kyle Manzardo ranged to his right to field it. Peña beat Williams to the bag with a headfirst slide.

It extended Peña's modest hitting streak to 13 games. His career long is a 14-game hitting streak set from April 8-23 this season.

Smith still out

Rookie right fielder Cam Smith, scratched from Friday's lineup due to an illness, remained on the Astros' bench Saturday.

Manager Joe Espada said pregame that Smith was "better" and did work in the batting cage and weight room but deemed it "best if we not start him." He said Smith could be available off the bench. Smith did enter the game in right field in the bottom of the 10th.

Smith had started 19 consecutive games in right field before Friday. Mauricio Dubón drew the start there Saturday after Jacob Melton manned right field in the series opener.

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