HOUSTON (AP) — Rookie George Klassen allowed one hit in a career-high seven scoreless innings and Josh Lowe homered to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Klassen (2-1), who was making his fifth career start, also set a career mark by striking out seven. He allowed only a first inning single to Jose Altuve.
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Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros' Cam Smith (11) flips his bat after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Los Angeles Angels' Josh Lowe, right, hits a home run as Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz reaches for the pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher George Klassen throws against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Cam Smith hit a solo homer off José Fermin with no outs in the eighth to cut the lead to 3-1. But Ben Joyce pitched a scoreless ninth to get his third save and send the AL West leaders to their third straight loss.
Houston starter Cristian Javier (1-4) allowed five hits and two runs in four innings.
The Angels scored all three of their runs with two outs for their second win in three games.
Los Angeles had runners on first and second with two outs in the third when an RBI single by Nolan Schanuel made it 1-0.
Lowe extended the lead to 2-0 with his shot to the seats in left field with two outs in the fourth.
The Angels got things going again with two outs in the fifth when Schanuel singled to right field. Zach Neto followed with an RBI double that left Los Angeles up 3-0.
Isaac Paredes walked with two outs in the first before Altuve’s single, but Klassen struck out Daulton Varsho to end the inning. The Astros didn’t have another baserunner until Paredes walked to start the fourth. Klassen walked Altuve with no outs in the seventh, but retired the next three batters, with two strikeouts, to end his night.
Houston RHP Ethan Pecko will make his major league debut against Angels RHP Walbert Ureña (8-8, 2.67 ERA) when the series continues Wednesday night.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros' Cam Smith (11) flips his bat after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Los Angeles Angels' Josh Lowe, right, hits a home run as Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz reaches for the pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher George Klassen throws against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jo Adell had a career night and showed the power that made the Cleveland Guardians acquire him at the trade deadline.
However, in a season in which every good thing that happens to the Guardians ends up being followed by a setback, Adell’s night ended on a down note Tuesday.
Adell left before the eighth inning of the Guardians’ 8-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants due to a bruised left knee. He fouled a pitch off his left kneecap during the first inning before hitting a 455-foot, three-run homer three pitches later.
Adell was receiving treatment after the game and wasn’t available for comment after setting a career high with six RBIs and the longest homer of his seven-year career. He will continue to be evaluated.
“It seems like every time we go out and check on somebody, they do something pretty special,” manager Stephen Vogt said after the Guardians' win. “But Jo obviously fouled that ball off his knee pretty hard. That’s why we took him out of the game. He was feeling some pretty good pain as the game went on.”
Adell had his eighth three-hit game, but his first for the Guardians. He came into the game batting .167 (7 for 42) since being acquired by the Guardians at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
“Adell was the issue, for sure, tonight. Adell was the problem -- and other guys hit us too,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said.
After Steven Kwan and José Ramírez got on base, Adell connected on an elevated changeup from Giants starter Carson Whisenhunt on a 2-2 count and the seventh pitch of the at-bat, depositing it five rows from the top of the bleachers in left field to give the Guardians a 3-0 lead.
Adell’s blast surpassed the 454-foot homer he hit in Kansas City last year while with the Los Angeles Angels for the longest of his career.
It also was the longest homer at Progressive Field since Kansas City’s Salvador Perez had a 457-foot shot in 2024. The last Cleveland player to go at least 455 feet was Bradley Zimmer (465 feet) in 2021 against Texas.
Adell also had a two-run single in the second and an RBI base hit in the fourth. He was the sixth player in the majors this season with at least six RBIs in the first four innings of a game, but the first Cleveland player since Ramírez in 2019.
“We haven’t seen very many balls fly that far to left field since I’ve been here, and his power’s real. But my favorite at-bat was the second one, two outs, second and third, right back up the middle for a two-run single,” Vogt said.
Adell’s injury is the latest in what has been a rough couple of days for the Guardians. Outfielder Chase DeLauter missed Tuesday’s game due to mild left hamstring tightness after playing only two innings during Sunday’s 5-0 loss to San Diego.
Cleveland (61-65) has gone 10-19 since the All-Star break and is one game behind Texas for the last wild-card spot in the American League.
“We’re pretty banged up on the position player side. So we got a lot of guys we’re monitoring,” Vogt said.
On June 13, the Guardians lost three players during the span of five innings against Detroit. Ramírez fractured the left hamate bone during an at-bat and missed more than five weeks; DeLauter bruised his right rib cage after colliding with the outfield wall and was sidelined for two weeks. Angel Martinez was out for six weeks after fouling a pitch off his left foot.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Cleveland Guardians' Jo Adell hits a three-run home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
Cleveland Guardians' Jo Adell is congratulated by Jose Ramirez (11) and Steven Kwan (38) after hitting a three-run home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
