Kwan has RBI in 10th, makes great defensive play to lead Guardians over Astros 3-2

HOUSTON (AP) — Steven Kwan gave Cleveland the lead with his RBI double in the 10th inning and made a diving catch to start a double play in the bottom of the inning to lead the Guardians to a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

Shawn Dubin (0-1) walked Brayan Rocchio to start the 10th before Kwan doubled down the left field line to score the automatic runner and put the Guardians on top 3-2.

Cade Smith (1-0) got the last two outs of the ninth for the win and closer Emmanuel Clase pitched a perfect 10th for his ninth save.

There was one out in the 10th when Mauricio Dubón hit a fly ball into shallow left field where Kwan made a diving catch before throwing to second to retire the automatic runner and end the game.

Manager Stephen Vogt raved about Kwan, who is a two-time Gold Glove award winner.

“Kwan has come through for us over and over,” Vogt said. “He gets us started and tonight getting the huge hit and then obviously the play to end it, there’s gold out there for a reason. That’s beautiful.”

Kwan singled in the first inning and had an RBI triple in the fifth inning to finish a home run shy of the cycle and end Cleveland’s two-game skid.

He leads the majors with seven three-hit games and is first in the American League with 45 hits. He's the fifth player in franchise history with at least seven three-hit games through the first 30 games and the first since Lyn Lary had 10 in 1937.

Kwan was asked which he enjoyed more Wednesday, his work at the plate or in the field.

“The defense is probably really good,” he said. “Just the work that I put in day in and day out with that and to kind of see some results with that, it feels really good.”

It was the fourth straight extra-inning game for the Guardians, matching a franchise record set in 1910. Cleveland’s seven extra-inning games this season leads the majors and is the second-most through 30 games in team history, behind the 1910 team.

Houston won the series opener 10-9 in 10 innings Tuesday in a game where closer Josh Hader pitched two innings, making him unavailable Wednesday.

Will Brennan homered for the Guardians and David Fry added two hits.

Kyle Tucker tied it with a solo homer in the seventh and Dubón doubled twice for the Astros, who had won three in a row.

Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie allowed five hits and two runs with six strikeouts in seven innings. It was his longest outing since 2022 after the 26-year-old was limited to just four starts last season because of shoulder and elbow injuries.

Justin Verlander yielded six hits and two runs with three walks in seven innings in his third start this season.

“That's a great performance,” manager Joe Espada said. “We needed him to go deep in the game and he did just that. Gave us a chance to win the game and that's Justin Verlander at his best right there.”

Brennan put the Guardians up 1-0 when he homered to open the fifth inning. Rocchio drew a two-out walk before scoring when Kwan tripled for the second straight game making it 2-0.

Rocchio slid into home safely just before catcher Victor Caratini could get the tag down.

Dubón doubled down the left field line with one out in the sixth. The Astros cut the lead to 2-1 when he scored on Jose Altuve’s single.

Tucker tied it at 2-2 when he sent McKenzie’s third pitch of the seventh inning to the second deck in right field for his eighth homer this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: RHP Eli Morgan (right shoulder inflammation) will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Columbus this weekend.

Astros: OF Chas McCormick was placed on the injured list with discomfort in his right hamstring Wednesday and INF Jacob Amaya was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his roster spot. … RHP Cristian Javier (neck discomfort), who was scratched from his scheduled start April 21, threw a bullpen Wednesday and manager Joe Espada said he could come off the injured list this weekend. … RHP José Urquidy, who hasn’t pitched this season because of an elbow injury, threw around 20 pitches in live batting practice Wednesday. Espada said he’ll likely begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment after throwing live batting practice once more.

UP NEXT

Houston RHP Spencer Arrighetti (0-3, 10.37 ERA) opposes LHP Logan Allen (3-1, 5.46) in the series finale Thursday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, left, throws to first base on an attempted double play after making the out on Houston Astros' Jeremy Pena, right, during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros Kyle Tucker (30) flips his bat as he rounds the bases on his home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Mauricio Dubon (14) scores behind Cleveland Guardians catcher David Fry, left, on the RBI single by Jose Altuve during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve flips his bat as he watches his RBI single, scoring Mauricio Dubon, against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros Kyle Tucker collects high fives in the dugout as they celebrate Tucker's home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Will Brennan celebrates his home run as he rounds the bases against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Cleveland Guardians' designated hitter Will Brennan flips his bat as he watches his home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

HOUSTON (AP) — Fast-moving thunderstorms pummeled southeastern Texas on Thursday for the second time this month, killing at least four people, blowing out windows in high-rise buildings, downing trees and knocking out power to nearly 900,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area.

Officials urged residents to keep off roads, as many were impassable and traffic lights were expected to be out for much of the night.

“Stay at home tonight, do not go to work tomorrow, unless you’re an essential worker. Stay home, take care of your children,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in an evening briefing. “Our first responders will be working around the clock.”

The mayor said four people died. At least two of the deaths were caused by falling trees, and another happened when a crane blew over in strong winds, officials said.

Streets were flooded, and trees and power lines were down across the region. Whitmire said wind speeds reached 100 mph (160 kph), “with some twisters.”

Hundreds of windows were shattered at downtown hotels and office buildings, with glass littering the streets below, and the state was sending Department of Public Safety officers to secure the area.

“Downtown is a mess,” Whitmite said.

There was a backlog of 911 calls that first responders were working through, he added.

The storm system moved through swiftly, but flood watches and warnings remained for Houston and areas to the east.

Flights were briefly grounded at Houston's two major airports. Sustained winds topping 60 mph (96 kph) were recorded at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

More than 870,000 customers were without electricity in and around Harris County, which contains Houston, according to poweroutage.us. The county is home to more than 4.7 million people.

The damage extended to the city's suburbs, with emergency officials in neighboring Montgomery County describing the damage to transmission lines as “catastrophic” and warning that power could be impacted for several days.

The Houston Independent School District canceled classes Friday for all its 274 campuses.

Heavy storms slammed the region during the first week of May, leading to numerous high-water rescues, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes.

Transmission power lines are down near the Grand Parkway and West Road after a storm Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Transmission power lines are down near the Grand Parkway and West Road after a storm Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP)