Yordan Alvarez hits MLB-leading 11th homer, powering Astros to 2-0 win over Guardians

By: Tom Withers, The Associated Press Posted: 3:38 PM CDT Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026

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.

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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.

Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez singles in the third inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/David Richard)

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.

“He’s just really good,” Astros manager Joe Espada quipped earlier in the series.

Alvarez, who was limited to 48 games last season because of injuries, came in leading the majors in homers, extra-base hits and total bases and was tied for first in RBIs.

Houston’s hard-hitting designated hitter got the Astros on the board in the first when he yanked a hanging curveball from Bibee 422 feet over the right-field wall.

Alvarez and Lance Berkman (2002) are the only Astros players to homer 11 times in the season’s first 26 games.