CLEVELAND, Ohio — The ghost of Myles Straw loomed large Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field.

When the Guardians acquired Straw from Houston in 2021, it cost them a minor league catcher named Yainer Diaz. That catcher has turned into the rarity of rarities — a catcher who can hit and hit for power.

Diaz’s two-run homer off Gavin Williams in the sixth inning gave the Astros a 3-0 lead, until Jose Ramirez erased that lead with a two-run homer of his own to tie the score in the seventh, before the Astros scored twice in the 10th inning to beat the Guardians, 5-3.

After the 2021 season, the Guardians gave Straw a five-year, $25 million extension that proved to be a millstone until they traded him to Toronto in January.

Diaz has turned into a jewel for the Astros, hitting 23 homers in 2023 and 16 homers in 2024.

The loss was the Guardians’ first in extra innings this season against four wins. Hunter Gaddis (0-1) allowed a pair of two-out runs in the 10th. The first came on a wild pitch and the second on a single by Isaac Paredes.

“The slider he threw before the wild pitch kind of backed up on him,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “He just overcooked the next one (on the wild pitch).”

The Guardians have lost eight of their last 12 games. The Astros have won 10 of their last 12 games against Cleveland.

The Guardians had two on with one out in the ninth, but Josh Hader retired Ramirez and struck out pinch-hitter Carlos Santana.

Diaz pushed Houston’s lead to 3-0 with his two-run homer off Williams in the sixth. Williams, trailing 1-0, opened the sixth with two outs before walking Victor Caratini to bring Diaz to the plate.

The two dueled through five pitches before Diaz sent a 3-2 cut fastball over the 19-foot wall in left field for his eighth homer. It was Diaz’s eighth homer of the season.

“He’s a good hitter,” said Williams. “Fouls off everything. It’s hard to get anything by him. That ball was two baseballs in (off the plate) and he hit it over (the wall). It’s not where I wanted the pitch, but he got his hands in.”

The Guardians tried to answer in the bottom of the sixth.

Ramirez, who walked in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to a career-high 33 games, singled to start the sixth against Houston starter Hunter Brown. After Kyle Manzardo popped out to short, Daniel Schneemann walked and Gabriel Arias sent a single to left to make it 3-1. When Brown walked Bo Naylor to load the bases, lefty Steven Okert relieved.

He ended the rally by striking out pinch-hitter David Fry and Will Wilson on six pitches.

Ramirez’s two-run homer in the seventh tied it 3-3. He hit a 3-1 pitch from Shawn Dubin into the right field seats. It was Ramirez’s 12th homer of the season.

Steven Kwan, who reached four times in five plate appearances after having Friday off, scored in front of Ramirez after drawing a leadoff walk.

“The (right) wrist has been barking a little bit,” said Kwan. “The legs get a little heavy. We’re in that stretch of the year where there have been a lot of games. It’s definitely really nice to get one of those scheduled days off.”

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the fifth when leadoff hitter Jeremy Pena beat Williams to the bag on an infield single to first. It allowed Diaz to score from third with two out.

Diaz started the inning with a single. Jake Myers moved him to third with a double past a diving Wilson at third base.

Williams allowed three runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked two in just his second career start against the Astros. It was his third quality start in his last four starts.

“That was a tough loss for sure,” said Vogt. “Gavin pitched outstanding. He gave up the homer there. He lost his command for two pitches, but he was some kind of good.

“It was a fun pitching matchup between him and Hunter Brown. For our guys to storm right back and tie it up. It’s unbelievable to see what Jose (Ramirez) keeps doing.”

Ramirez is hitting .395 (51 for 129) with 18 extra bases hits, 17 RBI and 13 walks in this 33-game stretch. He reached base four straight times on Saturday.

Brown allowed one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked five.

Next

RHP Tanner Bibee (4-6, 3.89) vs. LHP Brandon Walter (second start, 0.00) on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. CLEGuardians.TV, MLB Network, WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7 FM, WARF and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.