Kemp comes up big for Astros

Houston’s struggling hitter hits walk-off homer

Associated Press

Houston

Tony Kemp just wanted to get on base.

He ended up touching every one of them.

Kemp hit a game-ending homer in the 10th inning, lifting the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

“Not sure I was ready to walk it off,” Kemp said. “Looking for a walk there, but I’ll take a home run.”

It was Kemp’s second homer this year and his first career game-ending hit. Coming into the day, he was just 5 for 35 on the season.

“Opportunities are coming and going, and they’re inconsistent, but his approach to the game and his approach to the role hasn’t changed,” Houston manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s always ready, and he’s frustrated with himself when he doesn’t get on base, but who needs a walk when you can hit a homer? What a huge time to do it.”

Kemp’s pinch-hit drive off Adam Cimber (2-2) traveled just inside the right-field foul pole. Kemp said he was told at the start of the 10th that he would lead off the bottom of the inning.

Roberto Osuna (2-0) threw two scoreless innings for the win.

Houston opened a 3-1 lead on Carlos Correa’s two-run homer in the sixth, but Cleveland responded with two in the seventh. Francisco Lindor had a pinch-hit sacrifice fly before Mike Freeman singled in Tyler Naquin, tying it at 3.

Freeman had struggled since he was promoted from Triple-A Columbus on April 16.

“Guys come up and it’s human nature that they press a little bit,” manager Terry Francona said. “I told him, ‘Just be who you are.’ Because he can hit; he’s a good hitter.”

Brad Peacock pitched six effective innings for the Astros, allowing one run and four hits. The right-hander struck out seven and walked one.

Shane Bieber struck out nine in six innings for the Indians. He was charged with three runs and three hits.

“I thought it was a good bounce-back outing from my last one,” Bieber said. “I thought I kept them off balance pretty well throughout the whole game.”

The Astros grabbed the lead on Aledmys Diaz’s RBI double in the second. The Indians tied it when Jose Ramirez scored on Carlos Santana’s double-play grounder in the fourth.

BAUER-BREGMAN FEUD CONTINUES

Cleveland right-hander Trevor Bauer posted a 10-second video on Twitter on Friday night during which he asks an Alex Bregman bobblehead — the Astros’ giveaway — “What’s up little buddy, did I dominate you last night?” The bobblehead’s head bounces up and down in response. Bauer pitched eight innings in Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Astros.

“If he calls that dominating, then I’m very happy for him,” Bregman said Saturday. Bregman added sarcastically that he was proud of Bauer.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 6.00 ERA) starts the finale of the four-game series Sunday night. He threw four scoreless innings before leaving his last start Tuesday against the Marlins with left knee discomfort.

Astros: LHP Wade Miley (1-2, 3.58 ERA) will make his sixth start of the season.