San Francisco ? Rich Aurilia and Kirk Rueter both snapped out of 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.

San Francisco's Yorvit Torrealba slides into home. The Giants beat the Cardinals, 6-4, on Wednesday in San Francisco.

The Giants moved back into second place in the NL West, a half-game ahead of Los Angeles. The Central-leading Cardinals had their three-game winning streak stopped.

Rueter (8-6) allowed two runs neither earned on 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 2-for-2 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 relieved with no outs and two on base 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, allowing two runs one earned on four hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Benes, making his second start since coming off the disabled list on July 16, hasn’t won as a starter since June 13, 2001, against the Chicago White Sox.

“I thought he looked sharp,” Matheny said. “We’ll take that almost every time. I know he’s not happy and knows he can do better and I still believe he will.”

Benes breezed through the first three innings, striking out five. Only Aurilia, who homered on a 1-0 pitch to lead off the fourth, hit the ball hard against Benes.

“I thought he did all right, but I think he’s capable of more,” Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said.

Reds 10, Pirates 5

Cincinnati Todd Walker hit a grand slam and Brandon Larson had a three-run homer as Cincinnati Reds rallied behind its newest pitcher. Brian Moehler (1-0), who drove down Interstate 75 after the Reds obtained him Tuesday in a five-player trade with Detroit, sent a murmur through the crowd of 24,910 by getting rocked in his first inning. Moehler left with an 8-4 lead after giving up nine hits and four runs in five innings.

Braves 10, Marlins 0

Miami Damian Moss allowed one hit in seven innings and Wes Helms drove in three runs with a career-high four hits, helping Atlanta beat Florida. Florida’s only hit was by Derrek Lee, who grounded a single past third baseman Vinny Castilla leading off the fifth. Lee was then erased on a double play. Moss (6-4) struck out four and walked three. The Australian left-hander also drove in a run with a double, the first extra-base hit of his career, hiking his career average to .069.

Phillies 4, Cubs 2

Chicago Brett Myers was marvelous in his major league debut, allowing two hits in eight innings as Philadelphia beat 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.

Brewers 12, Astros 8

Houston Milwaukee manager Jerry Royster and reliever Mike DeJean got into a heated argument on the mound in the ninth inning before the Brewers finished out a victory over Houston to stop a nine-game losing streak. After Craig Biggio had an RBI grounder and Lance Berkman singled to load the bases with one out in the Astros 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.

Padres 8, Dodgers 0

San Diego Phil Nevin, Ron Gant and Mark Kotsay homered and San Diego beat Los Angeles, handing the Dodgers their fifth straight series defeat since the All-Star break.

Expos 2, Mets 1

New York Vladimir Guerrero threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh inning, and rookie Brad Wilkerson hit a two-run homer as Montreal ended a five-game losing streak.

Diamondbacks 7, Rockies 1

Phoenix Miguel Batista threw a three-hitter in his first complete game since 1999 as Arizona completed a three-game sweep of Colorado. Batista (5-7) had been 0-4 in his previous five starts since winning June 12.