SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Joe Nathan nearly had two firsts Monday night. He settled for one.

Nathan scattered seven hits in eight innings while allowing one run and hit his first big league homer as the San Francisco Giants routed the Cincinnati Reds 10-3 Monday night.

	Joe Nathan won for the first time since being activated from the DL June 6.

"I was just coming off my shoulder injury so they didn't want to push me. I was just happy to go out there and go eight strong innings."

Marvin Benard added a two-run homer, and Bobby Estalella and Ellis Burks hit solo shots in Dusty Baker's 587th career victory, the most by a San Francisco manager, one ahead of Roger Craig. Baker is 587-541 in eight seasons with the Giants.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," Baker said. "We won the game, which was the main thing. Joe Nathan had a heck of a night. He threw the ball and hit his first major league home run. It was almost a perfectly played game."

Equipment manager Mike Murphy presented Baker with a bottle of champagne to commemorate the milestone victory.

"It was extremely cold because it was on ice for about week," Baker quipped. "What's ironic is the win came on June 12, the month I was born and 12 is my number. I'm just grateful for all the players I've had. Without them, I couldn't have done anything."

Burks had three hits and three RBI, J.T. Snow hit a two-run double and Jeff Kent added an RBI double, helping San Francisco avoid consecutive losses at home for the first time since dropping its first six games at Pacific Bell Park.

Nathan (3-1) struck out four and walked two in winning for the first time since he was activated June 6 following one month on the disabled list with tendinitis. He had been tagged for 12 runs at Colorado on May 12 in his start before going on the DL.

"We got a great pitching job from Nathan, excellent defense and we hit with runners in scoring position," Burks said. "When you have good team play like that, good things happen. Hopefully, we can take this and carry it on for a while."

A converted shortstop, Nathan homered off reliever Dennys Reyes in the seventh, driving a 3-2 offering over the center-field wall.

"It was a bit of a surprise," Nathan said. "I was looking for something outside and it came in over the plate. I just put an easy swing on it and it went out."

Rob Bell (4-5) allowed five runs and four hits in four innings, losing for the third time in four decisions. He walked a career-high six and struck out none as the Reds lost for the sixth time in seven games.

"This team somehow has our pitchers figured out," Cincinnati's Eddie Taubensee said. "We always seem to catch them when they're hot."

Nathan benefited from solid defensive work that included double plays in the sixth and fourth innings. The Reds' only run before the ninth came on Dmitri Young's RBI single in the fourth. Taubensee and Chris Stynes drove in ninth-inning runs off Alan Embree.

"The name of the game is pitching and we were not getting any of it," Reds manager Jack McKeon said. "You hope someone can come up and give you six or seven good innings. Hopefully, it's (Tuesday)."

Estalella got San Francisco going when he connected for his seventh homer with two outs in the second.

Bell issued consecutive walks to Bill Mueller and Barry Bonds before Kent doubled, scoring Mueller. Center fielder Ken Griffey Jr.'s relayed throw got Bonds at the plate.

Burks led off the fourth with his seventh homer of the season and, after Estalella walked and stole second on a disputed play, Benard homered for a 5-1 lead.

Burks added a run-scoring double in the fifth and an RBI single in the sixth. Snow's two-run double also came in the sixth.

Game notes
First daughter Chelsea Clinton, a student at nearby Stanford, attended the game as a guest of Giants executive vice president Larry Baer. ... The six walks by Bell were the most in a game by a Reds pitcher this season. ... Estalella has seven homers this season, one short of his career high established in 1998 while with Philadelphia. ... Giants SS Rich Aurilia, who strained his left hamstring on May 30, wasn't in the starting lineup for a second straight day and Baker said he'll probably take Tuesday off as well. ... Reds RF Dante Bichette was not in the starting lineup after leaving Sunday's game against the Indians with a mild sprain in his left ankle. He's day to day. ... The Reds failed to homer for the first time in 13 games. ... Taubensee got his first RBI in 25 games since May 3.