Jose Acevedo allowed 2 ER in six innings. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        Jose Acevedo needed this one. Entering Saturday's game, three of Acevedo's last four starts had been fairly ugly. With Dennys Reyes ready at Triple-A, another blowout might have pushed Acevedo out of the rotation.

        But Acevedo cooled off a hot Colorado team as the Reds beat the Rockies 7-3 before a crowd of 28,751 Saturday night at Cinergy Field.

        Acevedo (3-3) went six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits to pick up his first victory since July 5. He struck out five and walked two.

        “I want to show people here I can pitch,” said Acevedo, who made the jump from Chattanooga. “Coming up from Double-A was hard, but I feel like I can pitch here.”

        Reds manager Bob Boone has been coy about what will happen with the pitching staff. John Riedling, who is at Triple-A Louisville on rehab, is close as well.

Ken Griffey Jr. beats out an infield hit. | ZOOM |

        “We need help,” Boone said. “Stay tuned.”

        The pitching was good all around Saturday. Jim Brower worked the seventh and eighth. Danny Graves pitched the ninth. Holding the Rockies to three runs was impressive, considering they had scored 30 runs in their previous two games.

        The Reds' offense was the one clicking Saturday. It had 12 hits. Todd Walker, Ken Griffey Jr., Juan Castro and Jason LaRue had two hits each. Walker also scored two runs. Aaron Boone and LaRue hit solo homers. And Dmitri Young and Adam Dunn each had two-run doubles.

        The Reds, who had lost three of four coming in, can split the homestand with a victory today.

Jason LaRue congratulates Aaron Boone on his HR. | ZOOM |

        The first inning was routine for Acevedo, but he started getting behind in the count in the second inning and it led to a 1-0 Colorado lead.

        Boone quickly tied it up. He crushed a 2-1 pitch from Colorado starter Brian Bohanon to left-center for his 14th home run of the year, equalling his career-high — set in 1998.

        The Rockies came back with three runs in the third.

        The Reds took the lead back in their half of the third. Walker, the leadoff man and former Rockie, got it started with a bunt single. Walker bunted on his own.

        “There's a lot of factors why I did,” he said. “Bohanon was getting stronger. He threw me strike one in a good location. I thought a fastball might be coming. (Third baseman) Greg (Norton) moved back at 0-1. The grass was real high.

        “I decided to take a chance.”

Jason LaRue is too late to tag out Terry Shumpert. | ZOOM |

        It worked, and lately all the Reds' offense needs is a small opening to get started.

        After Dunn grounded out, moving to Walker to second, Griffey reached on an infield single.

        Walker scored on Boone's groundout. That brought up Young, the free swinger. He swung hard and missed at the first two pitches, then drove the third pitch into the left-center field gap for a two-run double.

        It gave Young 11 RBI in his last 10 games, and it gave the Reds a 4-3 lead.

        Acevedo got better after the Reds got him the lead.

        “He's a strong kid,” Boone said. “That's not the first time he's done that, where he's struggled then settled down.”

        Acevedo put together the first 1-2-3 inning of the game, and the Reds were right back at it with the bats in the fourth.

        Castro singled to leadoff. After Acevedo sacrificed him to second, Walker was hit by a pitch. Dunn hit a screamer into the right-field corner for a two-run double to make it 6-3. Dunn has now hit in six straight games. He's hitting .450 (9-for-20) with three home runs and seven RBI over that span.

        Acevedo pitched a 1-2-3 fifth and then worked into and out of a mini-jam in the sixth.

        Brower allowed a hit and struck three in two innings.

        “Everybody pitched well tonight,” Boone said. “Brower was special. That's something we needed.”

        LaRue hit his 11th home run in the eight to make it 7-3. LaRue, who entered on an 1-for-14 skid, was 2-for-4 on the night.

Reds 7, Rockies 3 Graves might be starter next year Young producing in sixth spot Reese misses fourth game to illness Reds honor Super Mario Rijo pitches for Louisville today Forged autographs cost collectors dearly Bobbleheads a hit with sports fans, collectors Janszen: Here's my story on Pete Rose Five Questions with Eric Davis Fan's eye view of the Reds Reds box, runs

Bengals QBs need more help from line
Rafter vs. ??? in final
Rafter in third straight final
Will Rafter take advantage or vacation?
Hewitt misses mark again
Indian doubles team beats top seeds
Five Questions with Gustavo Kuerten
IRL polesitter hopes to change his luck
Kentucky Speedway Notebook
Auto racing insider
Best and worst of the week in sports
Bonds hits No. 50
TV stations focus on prep football
High school Insider

• Return to Reds front page...