Cruz Makes Big Splash for Giants

Since Jose Cruz Jr. joined the San Francisco Giants, he has wanted to hit a home run into McCovey Cove.

He considers it a meaningless feat, but when he did it Tuesday, it felt good.

Cruz homered and drove in four runs and Jim Brower (5-1) pitched 4 1/3 strong innings in relief of injured starter Kirk Rueter, and 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.”

The Giants swept the two-game series in a whirlwind 20-hour homestand.

Rueter left with a 3-1 lead in the second inning because of a strained left shoulder. Preliminary results of an MRI exam showed no structural damage, but it wasn’t immediately known how long he would be out.

In the first inning, Cruz hit a 3-and-2 pitch from Dan Haren (0-2) over the right-field fence and into the water of McCovey Cove for the 32nd “splash hit” in Pacific Bell Park’s four seasons. The Giants have 28 of those, including 24 by Barry Bonds.

Pinch-hitter Andres Galarraga homered in the eighth for the Giants, the 393rd homer of his career.