HOUSTON (Interstat) — Travis Bazzana homered twice and drove in five runs as the Cleveland Guardians downed the Houston Astros 8-1 on Saturday at Daikin Park.

Bazzana, Cleveland’s second baseman and leadoff hitter, launched a solo shot to right-center field in the first inning and added a three-run homer in the fifth, his seventh of the season. The game’s pivotal moment came in that fifth inning, when Bazzana’s second blast turned a 3-1 lead into a six-run advantage and effectively broke the game open.

Kyle Manzardo also homered with a two-run shot in the third inning and drove in two runs, finishing 2-for-4. The Guardians (41-36) collected 10 hits and scored in four separate innings, rebounding from a 9-3 loss to Houston the previous night. Cleveland’s offense managed just three runs in that Friday defeat but erupted Saturday against Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti.

Houston (36-42) managed only five hits and scored its lone run in the second inning on a Yainer Diaz single that plated Isaac Paredes. The Astros left only three runners on base and did not advance a runner past second base after the second inning.

Cleveland left-hander Joey Cantillo earned the win, improving to 6-3 on the season. Cantillo allowed one run on five hits over six innings, striking out eight and walking one. He retired the side in order in the first inning and worked around a two-hit second that produced Houston’s only run. From the third through the sixth, Cantillo held the Astros to two hits and did not allow a runner to reach third base.

Arrighetti took the loss and fell to 7-3. He lasted six innings and surrendered six runs on six hits while striking out eight but walked two. Arrighetti had entered the game with a 2.91 ERA but was tagged for three homers across 87 pitches. Cleveland’s first run came in the opening frame on Bazzana’s solo homer. In the third, Manzardo crushed a two-run homer after Bazzana had singled and was initially ruled out trying to advance from first to third on the play; the call was overturned on a challenge by Houston, allowing Bazzana to score on the home run.

The Guardians added three more in the fifth. Steven Kwan was hit by a pitch, Patrick Bailey singled, and Petey Halpin sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Bazzana then drove a 3-2 fastball to the same area in right-center, scoring Kwan, Bailey and himself. Cleveland tacked on two more in the seventh off Houston reliever Nate Pearson. Bailey led off with a single, Halpin singled, and Bazzana singled in Bailey. Manzardo followed with a single that scored Halpin before a double play ended the inning.

For Houston, Jose Altuve went 2-for-4 with a single and a single. Yainer Diaz was 1-for-3 with the RBI. Joey Loperfido singled in a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth. The Astros’ Nos. 1-3 hitters in the order — Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker — combined to go 0-for-10 with two strikeouts. Peña and Jake Meyers each went 0-for-3, and Brice Matthews was 0-for-3 in left field before moving to third base.

Cleveland’s bullpen closed out the game with three scoreless innings. The Guardians’ defense turned two key plays, including a strike-em-out, throw-em-out from left fielder Steven Kwan to second baseman Bazzana in the fourth inning that erased Altuve after a single.

The game lasted 2 hours, 25 minutes before an announced attendance of 32,678. Cleveland improved to 2-2 on its four-game road trip, which began with a 4-2 win at Milwaukee on Thursday followed by two losses. Houston fell to 3-3 on its homestand, having won the series opener Friday.

Bazzana’s five RBIs matched a career high. He also scored three runs and raised his batting average to .278 on the season. Manzardo’s two-run homer was his ninth of the year, and he has 28 RBIs. The Guardians’ Nos. 1-2 hitters — Bazzana and Manzardo — accounted for seven of the team’s 10 hits and all eight RBIs.

The Astros bullpen struggled after Arrighetti’s exit. Nate Pearson worked the seventh and allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out none. A.J. Blubaugh pitched a perfect eighth with three strikeouts. Houston’s offense went 2-for-13 with runners on base and was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position after the second inning.

Cleveland next concludes the three-game series Sunday at Daikin Park before traveling to Chicago to face the White Sox. Houston continues its homestand with the Sunday series finale before heading to Toronto for a three-game set.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Houston 5, Cleveland 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Cleveland a 51.00 percent probability to win. Houston had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5 runs. The total of 9 runs went under the over-under line of 8.5.