Astros’ Cristian Javier aims to stay hot against the Guardians

Houston right-hander Cristian Javier will look for his sixth win in as many starts on Friday when the visitors Astros opens a three-game series against Cleveland Guardians

Javier (7-1, 2.84 ERA) has allowed just six runs on 19 hits over his past five starts (29 innings). He allowed one run on six hits in six innings in Houston’s 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.

THE Astros after that, they lost four of their next five games. They have yielded just five runs in the current three-game skid and saw Yordan Alvarez aggravate an oblique injury in his final swing in the batting cage before exiting after a lone at-bat in Houston’s 3-2 loss to the host Toronto Blue Jays. on Thursday

“We’ve got to regroup and try to figure out how we’re going to win some ballgames and get through this.” Astros manager Dusty Baker said

Alvarez had reached base safely in 19 consecutive games before his first base hit in the first inning. He was replaced in the line by Corey Julks.

Javier, 26, is 1-1 with a 0.63 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against Cleveland. He allowed one run on 11 hits and two walks while striking out 17 batters in 14 1/3 innings in those games.

Javier would be wise to pitch cautiously to Jose Ramirez, who responded to a 3:25 slump in early June by belting three homers in one game for the first time in his career. GuardiansA 10-3 rally against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday

“He shows up every day,” teammate Steven Kwan told Ramirez’s Bally Sport Cleveland. “He has the ability to literally win a game for the whole team. Three home runs, that (defensive) play at third that prevented the big inning. He’s our superstar for a reason.”

Cleveland’s Josh Naylor is hitting a robust .552 (16:29) with 11 RBIs and a career-high nine runs during his eight-game hitting streak.

Will Brennan and Andres Gimenez each had two hits and drove in two runs on Thursday Guardians. The former is hitting .485 (16-for-33) with seven RBIs since May 30, while the latter is hitting .371 (13-for-35) with seven RBIs in the same time frame

Rookie left-hander Logan Allen (3-2, 2.76 ERA) will take the mound for Cleveland on Friday.

Allen, 24, has had two strong outings to emerge victorious in his past two trips to the mound. He scattered three hits and struck out a season-best 10 batters in seven innings in a 5-0 win at Baltimore on May 29, then allowed two runs in six frames in a 4-2 win at Minnesota on Saturday.

“Race like crazy” Guardians Manager Terry Francona said of Allen, who hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his eight starts this season. “Everything is balanced. If he walks someone, he immediately brings them back. He doesn’t let anything bother him.

Allen has yet to pitch a Astros in his young career

— Field Level Media