HOUSTON (Interstat) — Jeremy Peña homered twice and Jose Altuve delivered a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning, powering the Houston Astros to a 9-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night at Daikin Park.

The Astros, who entered play with a 36-41 record, snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 4-1 against Cleveland this season. The Guardians fell to 40-36.

Peña went 3 for 5 with two home runs and three RBIs, continuing a hot stretch after a 2-for-4 performance with a homer and two RBIs Wednesday against Detroit. Altuve finished 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs, and his blast in the bottom of the sixth inning turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead.

Cleveland struck first, scoring three runs in the third inning to take the lead. Travis Bazzana led off with a double, and Brayan Rocchio followed with an RBI double to score Bazzana. Rhys Hoskins then homered to left field, his seventh of the season, driving in Rocchio and giving the Guardians a 3-1 advantage.

The Astros had scored once in the first inning on an Isaac Paredes single that drove in Christian Walker, but the rally was aided by a throwing error from Cleveland right fielder Kahlil Watson.

Houston cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third when Peña homered to left field on a line drive that was upheld after a review.

The game remained 3-2 until the sixth inning, when Altuve delivered the decisive blow. With one out, Yordan Alvarez walked and Isaac Paredes singled. Altuve then launched a fly ball to left field that cleared the wall, scoring Alvarez and Paredes and putting Houston ahead 5-3.

The Astros extended the lead in the seventh inning. Peña led off with his second home run of the game, a solo shot to left field. Later in the inning, Altuve doubled to left field, scoring Alvarez, who had singled, to make it 7-3.

Houston added two more runs in the eighth. Cam Smith walked, and Jake Meyers hit a ground-rule double to left-center field that scored Smith. Peña then singled to right field, bringing home Meyers for the final margin.

Astros starter Tatsuya Imai earned the win, improving to 4-3. He pitched six innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out 11. Steven Okert followed with two scoreless innings, striking out three. Mike Burrows pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Guardians starter Tanner Bibee took the loss, falling to 2-8. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs while striking out seven. Shawn Armstrong pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit and no earned runs with one strikeout.

Cleveland’s offense managed seven hits total. Rocchio was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a double. Bazzana had a double and a single. Hoskins drove in two runs with his home run. Gabriel Arias doubled in the ninth inning.

Houston finished with 12 hits. Peña and Altuve led the way, and Meyers added a double and an RBI. Yordan Alvarez singled and walked twice.

The attendance was 33,279. The game lasted 2 hours, 39 minutes.

Cleveland’s next game is Saturday against the same opponent, continuing a three-game series at Daikin Park. The Guardians then travel to Chicago to face the White Sox for three games beginning Monday.

Houston will face Cleveland again Saturday and Sunday before beginning a six-game road trip to Toronto and Detroit.

In the first inning, Cleveland put two runners on base with a Bazzana single and a Rocchio single, but Imai struck out Kyle Manzardo and Rhys Hoskins and Daniel Schneemann to escape the jam.

Houston’s first run came on a throwing error by Watson that allowed Paredes to reach second after his single. Walker, who had walked, scored from first.

Cleveland’s three-run third inning began with Bazzana’s double. Rocchio doubled him home, and Hoskins followed with his home run. Imai then struck out Schneemann and got Arias to ground out to end the inning.

Peña’s first home run came in the third inning, a line drive to left field that tied an earlier review for a potential home run. The call was upheld.

The game remained 3-2 until the sixth, when Altuve’s three-run homer gave Houston the lead for good.

In the seventh, Peña’s second homer and Altuve’s RBI double put the game out of reach.

Houston added two more in the eighth on Meyers’ ground-rule double and Peña’s single.

Cleveland had one last chance in the ninth, but Burrows retired Hoskins on a popout, struck out Schneemann, and after Arias doubled, got Petey Halpin to fly out to shortstop.

The Astros’ bullpen combined for three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four.

The Guardians have lost three of their last four games. Houston has won three of its last four.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Houston 5, Cleveland 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 51.00 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 12 went under the over/under line of 8.5.