Dubious debut for Hunter Gaddis in Guardians' loss to Astros

CLEVELAND — Trey Mancini hit two home runs, including his first career grand slam, and drove in five runs, leading the Houston Astros over the Guardians 9-3 on Friday night.

Astros manager Dusty Baker tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the game. Baker held his usual pregame availability with the media about two hours before the 7:10 p.m. first pitch.

Baker, 73, is in his third season as the Astros' manager. Bench coach Joe Espada filled in for Baker.

Mancini, acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday to bolster the Astros' already dynamic lineup, hit a solo homer in the second and capped the Astros’ five-run third with a blast that cleared the 19-foot wall in left field and landed on the home run porch.

Mancini, starting at DH on Friday, has homered three times in four games with Houston. The Astros acquired him in a three-team trade that also included Tampa Bay.

Mancini missed the 2020 season while battling Stage 3 colon cancer. He returned to the field last season and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year. Mancini batted .268 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs with the Orioles this season.

Yordan Álvarez drove in his 73rd run of the season — good for third in the AL — with a single in the third inning that gave the Astros a 2-1 lead. Jose Altuve had three hits and an RBI.

Left-hander Framber Valdez (10-4) gave up a solo homer to Amed Rosario in the first. Valdez held the Guardians in check until the seventh when Luke Maile and Myles Straw drove in runs.

Valdez was pulled after walking rookie Will Benson to load the bases with one out. Seth Martinez retired Rosario on a popup and struck out pinch-hitter Nolan Jones. Valdez allowed three runs and seven hits in 6⅓ innings.

The Astros have won seven in a row at Progressive Field and have outscored the Guardians in the first two games of this series 15-3.

Mancini and the Astros spoiled the major league debut of Guardians right-hander Hunter Gaddis (0-1), who was charged with eight runs in 3⅓ innings. He retired the side in order in the first before the Astros' offense took control.

Gaddis became the 13th Cleveland player to make his major league debut this season. He was 5-3 with a 4.07 ERA in 17 games with the Double-A RubberDucks and Triple-A Columbus. Cleveland selected Gaddis, 24, in the fifth round of the 2019 draft.

Mancini’s one-out homer in the second tied the score. The Astros strung together three singles and a walk before Mancini’s grand slam in the third that came on a 3-1 pitch.

Guardians rookie Steven Kwan was 0 for 2, snapping his 18-game hitting streak. Kwan was removed from the game in the fourth inning after fouling a pitch off his foot in the first.

Trainer's room

Astros: Baker said before the game that tests on outfielder Aledmys Diaz’s left ring finger showed no fracture. Diaz, injured after colliding with center fielder Jake Meyers on a fly ball Thursday night, was out of the lineup. ... Outfielder Kyle Tucker, missed his second consecutive game with an illness.

Guardians: Right-hander Aaron Civale (right wrist sprain) allowed two runs (one earned) in four innings on a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Friday. He has been on the 15-day injured list since July 14.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Astros pound rookie starter Hunter Gaddis in victory over Guardians