Carson Whisenhunt overcame a shaky start to allow just one run in 5 2/3 innings, Bryce Eldridge homered and the San Francisco Giants evened their three-game home interleague series against the Houston Astros with a 4-1 victory Tuesday night.
The Astros were able to retain their half-game lead in the American League West due to a Texas Rangers loss to the Los Angeles Angels, but might have lost second baseman Jose Altuve, who had to leave the game shortly after getting hit in the left foot by a Whisenhunt pitch in the first inning.
The Astros called the injury a contusion and made no immediate announcement about possible x-rays before Wednesday’s afternoon series finale.
Taking advantage of three hits, two walks and the hit batsman, Houston loaded the bases in each of the first two innings. But Whisenhunt (3-3) limited the damage to one run on a Yordan Alvarez sacrifice fly, then retired 14 of the next 16 batters he faced before getting pulled two outs into the sixth, leading 3-1.
Relievers Carson Seymour, Reiver Sanmartin and JT Brubaker delivered the win from there, allowing just one hit. Brubaker was rewarded with his second save of the season after throwing a 1-2-3 ninth.
Whisenhunt, who needed 55 pitches to get his first six outs, wound up allowing four hits and three walks in his 5 2/3 innings. He struck out two.
Snapping a three-game losing streak, the Giants scored one run at a time, starting with a game-tying tally in the second on an RBI single by Drew Gilbert.
Drew Cavanaugh gave the hosts the lead for good with a run-scoring single in the fourth, before Eldridge launched his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot, in the fifth.
Astros starter Hunter Brown (3-2) completed five innings, giving up three runs and five hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Christian Koss completed the scoring with an RBI double in the sixth that plated Cavanaugh, who had singled.
Cavanaugh, Willy Adames and Osleivis Basabe had two hits apiece for the Giants, who out-hit the Astros 9-5.
Isaac Paredes had a pair of singles for the Astros, who didn’t have an extra-base hit in the game. They fell to 2-3 on a Western swing that ends Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
