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  Wednesday, Aug. 9 3:35pm ET
Giants back up strong start by Rueter
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Jeff Kent doesn't like to talk about his accomplishments, so he wasn't saying much after hitting his first grand slam of the season.

The second-inning slam lifted the San Francisco Giants to a 9-3 victory Wednesday and a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. It also gave Kent more than 100 RBI for the fourth consecutive season.

Giants sign Rueter through 2003
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants signed left-hander Kirk Rueter to a new three-year contract Wednesday.

Terms of the deal were not announced.

Kirk Rueter
Rueter

Rueter (8-7) got news of the deal after he pitched the Giants to a 9-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. He scattered five hits over seven innings.

"I love it here," he said. "My family is comfortable here."

Rueter's 78-46 lifetime record gives him the third-highest winning percentage, at .629, among left-handers in the major leagues since 1980. He trails only Arizona's Randy Johnson and the Yankees' Andy Pettitte.

Rueter was acquired by the Giants with pitcher Tim Scott in a July, 1996 trade with the Montreal Expos for pitcher Mark Leiter.

Rueter is San Francisco's first left-hander since Vida Blue to win at least 13 games in three consecutive seasons.
-- Associated Press

"I was just hoping it would get away from the left fielder," Kent said of his ninth career grand slam. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Kirk Rueter (8-7) scattered five hits over seven innings and drove in his first run of the season as the Giants won their fourth in a row. J.T. Snow went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.

With San Francisco up 1-0 in the second inning, Paul Rigdon (0-2) walked Marvin Benard, Bill Mueller and Barry Bonds to load the bases for Kent, who hit the first pitch into the left-field bleachers for his 27th homer.

The hit gave Kent 102 RBI, putting him past the century mark for the fourth consecutive season. He is the seventh player in the history of the franchise to record four consecutive 100 RBI seasons.

Kent's RBI total leads the National League.

"In that situation, you're caught between a rock and a hard place. If you don't walk Barry, then he beats you," Giants catcher Doug Mirabelli said of Kent's slam. "If you do, then you have one of the guys leading the National Leagues in RBI. What are you going to do?"

Mueller hit a solo home run off Rigdon in the first inning that bounced along the walkway atop the right-field wall.

Rueter's run-scoring single in the third inning off Everett Stull put the Giants up 6-0. San Francisco pitchers have driven in runs in four consecutive games.

Snow added a run-scoring double for the Giants in the sixth.

The Brewers' first run came on Jose Hernandez's RBI double off Rueter in the seventh.

Ron Belliard hit a run-scoring triple and Richie Sexson added an RBI grounder for the Brewers in the eighth inning off reliever Doug Henry.

In the bottom of the eighth, Felipe Crespo's sacrifice fly scored Ramon Martinez before Armando Rios' run-scoring triple brought home Snow.

Rueter, who lost two of three previous starts, last won on July 20 against the San Diego Padres. His only strikeout Wednesday came in the first inning, when he caught Charlie Hayes swinging with the bases loaded.

Rigdon, acquired by the Brewers in a July 28 trade with the Cleveland Indians, was making his third start with the Brewers. He lasted just two innings, allowing five runs on three hits and six walks.

Game notes
Kent's last grand slam came Sept. 3, 1999, at Pittsburgh. ... The Giants signed Rueter to a three-year contract extension Wednesday. Terms were not released. ... Brewers manager Davey Lopes was back in the dugout Wednesday after missing the game Tuesday night with the flu. Bench coach Jerry Royster had replaced him. ... The Brewers have been swept four times this season, including the three-game series against the Giants. ... Kent joins six other Giants with four consecutive 100-RBI seasons: George Kelly, "Irish" Meusel, Bill Terry, Mel Ott, Willie Mays and Barry Bonds. ... Giants starters have 24 RBI. Shawn Estes leads all Giants starters with 10 RBI, and Livan Hernandez has eight. ... The Giants finished their homestand 6-1 and have won 17 of their last 20 home games. Their 39-18 record at Pacific Bell Park is best in the majors. ... Kent has hit safely in nine consecutive.
 


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