Aurilia, Rueter Carry the Giants

Rich Aurilia and Kirk Rueter each ended slumps and gave San Francisco a lift in the process.

Aurilia homered and Rueter carried a shutout into the eighth inning as the Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-4, Wednesday at San Francisco.

The Giants moved back into second place in the National League West, a half-game ahead of the Dodgers. The Central-leading Cardinals had their three-game winning streak ended.

Rueter (8-6) gave up two runs--both unearned--and six hits over 7 1/3 innings. He walked none and won for the first time since June 4, nine starts ago.

“I never really got discouraged because I was keeping the team in the game and we won a lot of my no decisions,” Rueter said. “I’ve been on the other side where I’ve pitched badly and won.”

Rueter improved to 9-3 in 21 outings against the Cardinals. He hasn’t lost to St. Louis since July 22, 1998, at Candlestick Park.

“I felt like I did before,” he said. “I was just trying to get groundballs.”

Aurilia had four hits in 23 previous at bats against Benes before going two for two with a walk against the right-hander.

“I got into some bad habits and it took me a long time to get out of it,” Aurilia said. “I’m feeling better at the plate and hitting the ball harder.”

Robb Nen came in with nobody out and two on in the ninth and got his 27th save. Nen gave up a two-run single to Mike Matheny.

Andy Benes (0-3) went a season-high 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs--one earned--and four hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Montreal 2, New York 1--Vladimir Guerrero threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh inning, and rookie Brad Wilkerson hit a two-run homer at New York to help the Expos end a five-game losing streak.

Javier Vazquez (8-6) gave up five hits over six innings to stop the streaking Mets. New York lost for only the third time in 11 games, falling five games behind NL wild-card leader San Francisco.

Playing without injured All-Star second baseman Jose Vidro and slumping slugger Cliff Floyd, the fading Expos avoided dropping three games under .500 for the first time this season.

Cincinnati 10, Pittsburgh 5--Todd Walker hit a grand slam and Brandon Larson had a three-run homer at Cincinnati, and the Reds rallied behind their newest pitcher.

Brian Moehler (1-0), who drove down Interstate 75 from Detroit after the Reds traded for him on Tuesday, got rocked in his first inning, but he left with an 8-4 lead after giving up nine hits and four runs in five innings.

Atlanta 10, Florida 0--Damian Moss gave up one hit in seven innings at Miami and Wes Helms drove in three runs with a career-high four hits.

Florida’s only hit was by Derrek Lee, who grounded a single past third baseman Vinny Castilla leading off the fifth. Lee was erased on a double play.

Moss (6-4) struck out four and walked three. The Australian left-hander drove in a run with a double, the first extra-base hit of his career, hiking his career average to .069.

Henry Blanco hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run first inning, and Andruw Jones added a two-run homer.

Philadelphia 4, Chicago 2--Brett Myers was marvelous in his major league debut, giving up two hits in eight innings at Chicago.

Myers, who outpitched fellow first-round pick Mark Prior in a meeting of 21-year-old rookies at windy Wrigley Field, left with a 4-1 lead.

Sammy Sosa hit his 31st homer with two out in the ninth against Jose Mesa, who then gave up singles to Fred McGriff and Moises Alou before striking out Corey Patterson for his 27th save.

Myers (1-0) gave up a third-inning homer to Mark Bellhorn, then retired 14 batters in a row before Todd Hundley hit a one-out double in the eighth. He struck out five and walked one.

Milwaukee 12, Houston 8--Brewer Manager Jerry Royster and reliever Mike DeJean got into a heated argument on the mound in the ninth inning at Houston, moments before the team ended a nine-game losing streak.

After Craig Biggio had a run-scoring grounder and Lance Berkman singled to load the bases with one out in the ninth, Royster went out to pull DeJean.

The manager and pitcher went face to face for about 30 seconds before DeJean left. Luis Vizcaino came in and closed for his second save.

Richie Sexson went four for four and drove in four runs for Milwaukee.

Sexson hit his 22nd homer and tied a career high for hits to help the Brewers end their longest skid this season.

Berkman hit his league-leading 31st home run.

Arizona 7, Colorado 1--Miguel Batista threw a three-hitter in his first complete game in three seasons, and the Diamondbacks completed a three-game sweep of the Rockies at Phoenix.

Batista (5-7) had been 0-4 in his previous five starts since winning June 12. He shut out the Rockies after Todd Helton’s two-out home run in the first.

Batista struck out seven and walked one in his third career complete game and first since June 5, 1999, for Montreal.

David Dellucci hit a 428-foot home run to lead off the fifth against starter Shawn Chacon (5-7). Dellucci also had a run-scoring triple to go 5 for 8 in his last two games.

Tony Womack, in a squeeze for playing time in Arizona’s crowded infield since the return of Matt Williams, was 3 for 4 with a double and a two-run triple.