Barry Larkin acknowledges cheers after his second HR. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

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        It sounded like wishful thinking. “What we need is a six- or eight-run cushion in the third inning and then add on,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said before Saturday's game.

        The Reds didn't quite do that. But a five runs in the second inning did give them a nice lead, and they added on on the way to an 11-5 victory over the San Diego Padres before a GE-night crowd of 43,033 at Cinergy Field.

        McKeon was hoping for the Reds' first easy victory since they beat the Minnesota Twins 9-3 three weeks ago. He got it, thanks to a lot of offense.

        Barry Larkin was the offensive star. He had a career-high five hits, including a pair of home runs, four RBI and four runs scored. The second HR, a two-run shot in the eighth, put the Padres away for good and earned Larkin a curtain call from the crowd at Cinergy.

        “He had a large night,” Ron Villone said. “A mammoth night.”

        “Another win,” Larkin said. “That's what we needed.”

Dmitri Young slides in with a triple. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

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        The Reds much-hyped offense has been, well, mostly hype this year.

        “This is what we hoped it would be like,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said, “guys hitting on a consistent basis.”

        The Reds remained a season-high 7¹/₂ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.

        Villone (7-4) earned the victory with five so-so innings. He allowed four runs and eight hits. He walked four and struck out none. Villone was pitching with a cut on his left (pitching)

        index finger that forced the Reds to push his start back two days.

        “I was good enough,” said Villone, who pitched with the cut held together with Super Glue. “I got through it.”

Dante Bichette and fans reach for a foul ball. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Elmer Dessens pitched the final four innings, allowing one run and six hits, to earn his first major-league save.

        The Reds scored in five of the eight innings they batted. The scoring starting the first. Pokey Reese, Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr. singled to start the game. Griffey's hit scored Reese. The hit also extended Griffey's hitting streak to eight games. He is 10-for-30 (.333) with four home runs and eight RBI during the streak.

        But the rally fizzled there.

        The Padres tied it in the second. Villone walked the eighth hitter and the pitcher. Former Red Eric Owens drove in a run with a double to left.

        It looked then like the Reds might be in for another struggle.

        But then came the Reds' second inning.

        Aaron Boone singled, and Eddie Taubensee walked. Boone was erased on Villone's failed sacrifice bunt, and Pokey Reese flied out. Larkin got a run home with a single to right.

        After Griffey walked to load the bases, Villone scored on passed ball. Larkin and Griffey also moved up.

        Bichette got another run in with an infield single.

Ken Griffey shows his displeasure after being called out at first on a close play. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Young drove in two more with a triple off the wall in left-center. That made it 6-1. It was the Reds' first five-run inning since they scored five in Cleveland June 11.

        “The thing that impressed me about the second inning was all the runs were scored with two outs,” Larkin said. “No one gave in or gave up.”

        The Padres made it 6-2 when Kevin Nicholson homered in the fourth. It was Nicholson's first major league hit.

        Larkin got the run back by leading off the Reds' fourth with his seventh home run of a year.

        But the Padres kept swinging away at the lead. Ruben Rivera hit a two-run homer in the fifth to close the gap to 7-4.

        As per McKeon's wish, the Reds kept adding on.

Eddie Taubensee congratulates Elmer Dessens on his first big-league save. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Juan Castro, who came in for Reese who injured his ankle, singled to open the sixth. Larkin followed with his fourth hit of the night. Bichette drove in Castro with a single.

        Larkin scored when Casey reached on an error. That made it 9-4.

        Dessens broke a hitless streak of 24 at-bats for Reds' pitchers with an infield single. He was aboard when Larkin hit one out to center. It was the 10th multi-homer game of Larkin's career.

        “We scored seven runs (Friday night) and lost,” Larkin said. “It's a matter of scoring more run than the other team.”

        This was suppose to be the kind of team that was capable of doing that on a regular basis. But Saturday night was the first time the Reds scored more than 10 runs and won since May 24. It was only their sixth double figure output of the year.

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