Juan Castro is greeted after his 3-run, ninth-inning HR. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        ST. LOUIS — Reds manager Bob Boone shook up the lineup before Friday's game, hoping to rattle loose a few runs. The runs came as the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 before a crowd 41,593 at Busch Stadium.

        The big blow came from an unlikely source. Juan Castro broke the game open with a three-run, opposite-field home run with two outs in the ninth. It was Castro's first home run of the year, and the first by a Red in five games.

        The way Elmer Dessens is pitching, a little offense goes a long way. Dessens went six innings, allowing two hits and the run. He walked one and struck out five.

        “That's the best he's done,” Boone said.

        The victory snapped a four-game Reds' losing streak. It was only Cincinnati's third win in 12 games. Dessens has started all three.

Elmer Dessens | ZOOM |

        “Everything was working,” he said. “Fastball, sinker. I had good location. My confidence is good.”

        The loss was the fourth straight for the Cardinals.

        Boone put Dmitri Young at third base, a position Young had never played in the major leagues and not at all since 1993. Young had a pair of hits and scored a run.

        He only had one chance at third base. He made the play.

        Dessens went pitch for pitch with St. Louis right-hander Darryl Kile, who came in 7-3 with a 3.09 ERA.

        “It was a pitchers' duel,” Boone said. “Kile had that breaking ball working. But Elmer was able to match him. We needed it.”

        The Reds got to Kile in the fourth, although not nearly as much as they would have liked.

Alex Ochoa is out at home in the seventh inning. | ZOOM |

        Young grounded a one-out single up the middle to get things started. An out later, Ochoa walked.

        Michael Tucker followed with a sharp single to left. Young scored easily and Ochoa went to third. Tucker stole second with Jason LaRue at the plate.

        A hit meant a 3-0 lead. But LaRue struck out, and the Reds settled for a 1-0 lead.

        Ray Lankford led off the Cardinals' fourth with his 12th home run.

        Dessens settled down immediately after the homer. He retired the last six batters.

        He did get a scare when Mark McGwire sent Deion Sanders to the wall in left with a shot to end the sixth.

Michael Tuckers breaks to first on his RBI single in the fourth. | ZOOM |

        “Elmer's been really consistent,” Boone said. “To be good, you have to be able to locate your fastball. He put it right where he wanted to tonight.”

        It was his fifth straight solid outing. In his last five starts, he is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA.

        It is only his second year as a big league starter for Dessens, 29.

        “I don't know much about his past,” Boone said. “But he's the best we've got right now.”

        The Reds broke the tie in the eighth. Young and Sean Casey hit back-to-back singles. Then Ochoa was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

        Tucker delivered again — with a shot to right field. J.D. Drew nearly picked off the turf, but it fell for a single.

        Young scored, but Drew threw out Casey to end the inning.

        Still, it was 2-1.

Sean Casey is out at home in the eighth. | ZOOM |

        Hector Mercado (2-2) took over for Dessens and got the win. He pitched the seventh. Mark Wohlers got the first out of the eighth. After he allowed a single, closer Danny Graves took over. He got the last five outs for his 12th save. He had to get Drew, McGwire and Jim Edmonds in the ninth.

        Castro's home run made it a lot easier.

        “It was relief for everyone,” Castro said.

        Castro, the defense specialist, flopped between second and third base in the eighth inning with Bill Selby.

        “Castro's a superior defensive player,” Boone said. “I was trying to put him where I thought they'd hit it.”

        Defensive maneuvers weren't a factor. But Selby and Castro were offensive stars in the ninth.

        Selby doubled with one out. Ruben Rivera, another defensive replacement, walked. After Pokey Reese struck out, Castro got his chance.

        The homer, off Cardinals' closer Dave Veres, was a towering shot.

        “I thought it was would get the warning track,” Castro said. “It kept going and going.”

        It was only Castro's seventh career homer and as far as he knows the first to right field.

Reds 5, Cards 1 Who's on third? Why, it's Dmitri Larkin, Boone making progress Reds box, runs

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