Rookies Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt lead the Giants past the Astros, 4-1

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bryce Eldridge homered, fellow rookie Carson Whisenhunt pitched 5 2/3 innings after working out of two early bases-loaded jams and the San Francisco Giants beat the Houston Astros 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch from Whisenhunt (3-3) to load the bases with one out in the first. Altuve stayed in the game but did not return for the bottom of the second inning with what the team said was a left foot contusion.

Christian Walker popped out to short right field for the second out, and Nelson Velázquez grounded out to third in his first at-bat with the Astros after being claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Houston loaded the bases with nobody out in the second, but managed only a sacrifice fly by Yordan Alvarez for a 1-0 lead.

Rafael Devers drew a walk off Hunter Brown (3-2) and took second on a wild pitch to start the bottom of the inning. Drew Gilbert’s one-out single tied it.

Gilbert walked after a successful ABS challenge with one out in the fourth and advanced on a groundout before scoring on rookie Drew Cavanaugh’s go-ahead single.

Eldridge hit his 12th homer with one out in the fifth for a 3-1 advantage.

Cavanaugh had a two-out single off Enyel De Los Santos in the sixth and rookie Christian Koss doubled for a 4-1 lead.

Whisenhunt allowed a run on four hits with three walks and retired 11 in a row at one point. He left after a two-out walk in the sixth, matching his longest outing through six starts this season and 11 overall. He threw 55 of his 96 pitches in the first two innings.

Carson Seymour pitched two scoreless innings, Reiver Sanmartin got the final out in the eighth, and JT Brubaker pitched the ninth for his second career save.

Brown pitched five innings and yielded three runs on five hits and three walks.

Houston (61-60) rallied to beat San Francisco (50-70) in Monday’s opener 6-3 in 10 innings.

Up nex

t

Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for Wednesday’s series finale.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Rookies Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt lead the Giants past the Astros, 4-1 | iNFOnews.ca
Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) reacts after being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Rookies Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt lead the Giants past the Astros, 4-1 | iNFOnews.ca
San Francisco Giants’ Drew Gilbert, left, hits an RBI single in front of Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz, right, during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Rookies Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt lead the Giants past the Astros, 4-1 | iNFOnews.ca
San Francisco Giants’ Bryce Eldridge (8) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Rookies Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt lead the Giants past the Astros, 4-1 | iNFOnews.ca
San Francisco Giants pitcher Carson Whisenhunt throws against the Houston Astros during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

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