The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - Since Jose Cruz Jr. joined the San Francisco Giants, he has wanted to hit a home run into McCovey Cove. So when he did it Tuesday, it felt good.

Cruz homered and drove in four runs and Jim Brower pitched 4 1/3 strong innings in relief of injured starter Kirk Rueter as the Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3.

"That was a thrill," Cruz said. "It's been my goal for this year to get one. To do it, you have to crush the ball. It's just a neat thing to do, like hitting one into the upper deck at Yankee Stadium."

San Francisco shut down the National League's top offense for the second straight day to sweep the two-game series. The Giants, who beat St. Louis in the NLCS last season, went 5-1 against the Cardinals this season, holding them to seven runs in the five wins.

Brower (5-1) retired 10 in a row during one stretch after Rueter left in the second inning with a strained left shoulder. Brower added a single in the second and made a nice slide into home to beat the throw by shortstop Edgar Renteria as San Francisco took a 4-1 lead.

"The slide is the most memorable thing," Brower said.

Brower allowed two hits and struck out two in the longest outing by a Giants reliever this season. He was being considered for a spot start Thursday so Jason Schmidt could take an extra day of rest and start Friday instead. Now, manager Felipe Alou said he is still undecided on Thursday's starter.

Rueter threw 30 pitches and had a 3-1 lead when he left the game. Preliminary results of an MRI showed no structural damage, but it wasn't immediately known how long he will be out.

Diamondbacks 9, Rockies 3

PHOENIX - Pinch-hitter Carlos Baerga broke a seventh-inning tie with a three-run homer, and Arizona won for the 17th time in 20 games.

Shea Hillenbrand, who had three homers, five hits and seven RBI in Arizona's 14-6 win Monday, went 2-for-3 with a double. He has 10 hits in his last 12 at-bats, raising his average with the Diamondbacks to .364.

Pirates 8, Brewers 7, 10 innings

MILWAUKEE - Jack Wilson hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning as Pittsburgh overcame another blown save by Mike Williams, who gave up a two-run homer to Wes Helms with one out in the ninth.

Phillies 13, Expos 6

MONTREAL - Mike Lieberthal had three doubles and four RBI and Bobby Abreu hit a three-run homer as Philadelphia stopped a four-game losing streak. Brett Myers won his fourth straight start.

Braves 5, Mets 3

NEW YORK - Shane Reynolds shut down the team that tried to sign him earlier this season and Jung Keun Bong provided timely relief as Atlanta earned its fifth straight win.

Vinny Castilla homered and drove in three runs for the Braves.

Marlins 4, Cubs 3

CHICAGO - Ivan Rodriguez and Luis Castillo hit back-to-back solo homers in the seventh inning for Florida.

Marlins starter Dontrelle Willis allowed four hits and struck out seven in 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the team that drafted him before leaving in the bottom of the sixth after a rain delay.

Padres 8, Dodgers 5

SAN DIEGO - Mark Loretta went 4-for-4 with three runs and Sean Burroughs had three RBIs as San Diego beat Los Angeles for the fifth straight time.

The Dodgers, whose .240 team batting average is better only than Detroit's, have lost 13 of their last 15. It was just the third time in that span that the Dodgers scored more than three runs.

All-Star Rondell White drove in two runs as the Padres piled it on against Wilson Alvarez (0-1), who was making his first start since last July 14.

Adam Eaton (4-7) beat the Dodgers in consecutive starts and improved to 4-1 in his career against LA. It was just his third win in his last nine decisions.

Rod Beck pitched the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances.