HOUSTON – Kirk Reuter threw seven strong innings and pinch-hitter Jason Ellison homered in the eighth Friday night, leading San Francisco to a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros, Giants manager Felipe Alou’s 900th career win.

Reuter (2-2) allowed one run and six hits and walked two. For the third time this season, Reuter didn’t record a strikeout but benefited from two double plays.

Tyler Walker pitched the ninth for his third save in four opportunities.

Ezequiel Astacio (0-2) started and went five innings, allowing two runs, one earned, and three hits for the Astros, who have lost four straight and 10 of 11.

Alou has a 900-866 won-loss record in 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos and Giants. He becomes the ninth active manager with 900 victories.

With the bases loaded in the first inning, Edgardo Alfonzo drove in one run when he grounded into the hole and shortstop Adam Everett threw to first baseman Jose Vizcaino who attempted to tag Alfonzo. The ball popped out and a second run scored on Vizcaino’s error.

Everett hit a bases loaded single in the second inning to close the Giants’ lead to 2-1.

Leading off the eighth inning, Ellison hit an 0-2 pitch from reliever Chad Qualls to make it 3-1, and Marquis Grissom’s single to center drove in another run in the inning to make it 4-1.

Orlando Palmeiro had an RBI single in the eighth for Houston.

Notes: Houston’s Eric Bruntlett flied out in the fifth to drop to 0-for-13 this season, the most at-bats without a hit in the majors this year. … Giants are 17-3 all-time at Minute Maid Park. … Ellison’s home run was the first of his career as a pinch hitter and the first pinch-hit homer this season for the Giants.

AP-ES-05-13-05 2256EDT