DENVER — The theory of relativity worked to the Reds' advantage Friday night. Not Albert Einstein's theory, but Bob Boone's.

Aaron Boone tags out Todd Walker. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        Before managing his first regular-season game at Coors Field, Boone made it clear he knew what his Reds faced by entering this pinball machine that masquerades as a ballpark.

        “Three runs you'd give up anywhere else is six here,” Boone said. “You have to live with the relativity.”

        The Reds didn't just live with it. They thrived on it, overcoming a 9-6 deficit with six runs in the eighth inning to outlast the Colorado Rockies, 12-9.

        Pinch hitter Ruben Rivera and Dmitri Young lashed two-run doubles to propel the rally that gave the Reds (13-9) their fourth victory in a row and their eighth consecutive triumph on the road. Cincinnati's 17 hits matched its season-high for a nine-inning game.

Sean Casey hits RBI single. | ZOOM |

        The teams combined for 21 runs and 31 hits, making it a typical Coors affair. But of the 15 extra-base hits, none was a home run, which was nothing short of remarkable.

        “There were a lot of things I saw tonight I'm not familiar with,” Boone said.

        Reliever Hector Mercado (1-0) earned his first major-league win by allowing one run in a career-high 3 1/3 innings. Under Boone's theory of relativity, that's akin to five shutout innings. Dennys Reyes, who's still with the Reds and not the Yankees, pitched a scoreless eighth before Danny Graves worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

        “Unbelievable. An up-and-down battle,” Young said after the Reds scored five first-inning runs — and were surpassed when Colorado scored four in its half of the first and four in the fourth.

Alex Ochoa is caught in a rundown in the eighth. | ZOOM |

        Aaron Boone opened the Reds' winning rally by reaching first base on shortstop Neifi Perez's fielding error. Pokey Reese blooped a single to right field before Kelly Stinnett hit a soft liner over first base for another single, scoring Boone and leaving Reds on the corners.

        That finished reliever Juan Acevedo, who was replaced by left-hander Mike Myers (1-2) with Ken Griffey Jr. coming up. Griffey struck out, extending his pinch-hitting futility to 0-for-11, but Stinnett stole second base on the third strike. That led Myers to intentionally walk Barry Larkin, loading the bases.

        In came right-hander Jose Jimenez to face the right-handed Rivera. The substitute outfielder hammered a 1-0 pitch to left field, scoring Reese and Stinnett to tie the score.

Barry Larkin | ZOOM |

        Up came Young, whose major-league-best streak of 63 plate appearances without a strikeout ended in the fourth inning against Rockies starter Pedro Astacio. His drive to left-center field landed near the wall, scoring Larkin and Rivera.

        After Sean Casey drew an intentional walk, Alex Ochoa singled to left field to bring home Young with the inning's final run.

        Earlier, Reds starter Chris Reitsma received a lesson in Boone's theory of relativity. The rookie entered the game with a 1.03 ERA, tied with Los Angeles' Kevin Brown for the best in the majors, and left it with a 3.00 ERA after allowing eight runs in 3 2/3 innings.

        Of the 11 hits Reitsma allowed, six came in the first inning — equaling the most he had allowed in any of his previous four starts.

Chris Reitsma | ZOOM |

        “I had heard horror stories, but this was an experience I can learn from,” said an upbeat Reitsma. “I was happy to get off to a good start (this year), so something like this doesn't kill the whole season.”

        The Reds opened the game by maintaining the rousing offense they displayed in their three-game sweep at San Francisco.

        Larkin singled leading off and scored on Michael Tucker's double. Young singled to put runners on the corners before Casey drilled an RBI single. After Ochoa struck out, Aaron Boone doubled home Young and Casey. Reese doubled over first base to score Boone.

        But a five-run deficit is nothing for the Rockies at Coors. Juan Pierre's infield single and Todd Walker's double generated a run. Though Walker was thrown out at third base, Larry Walker and Todd Helton singled in front of Greg Norton's sacrifice fly. Todd Hollandsworth doubled, lengthening his hitting streak to 12 games, before Neifi Perez also doubled to score two runs.

        The back-and-forth action was on.

        Boone said that after the Reds' big first inning, “I felt pretty good with Reitsma pitching. Then (the Rockies) started hitting and I thought, hmmm — I better manage this one like it's 14-12.”

Reds 12, Rockies 9 SULLIVAN: Right time for Prime Time Bowden: Reese won't be traded Larkin blames injury for errors Skrmetta earned promotion Reds box, runs

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