The Reds haven't been very good at home all season. But Sunday they were a little bit lucky, and that turned out to be good enough to win.

        The Reds came back to beat the Montreal Expos 5-4 before a crowd of 20,394 at Cinergy Field.

Rookie sensation Adam Dunn goes yard in the eighth inning Sunday. (AP photo)

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        The Reds took the lead with a pair of home runs in the eighth. The second was a two-run shot by Adam Dunn that put them ahead for the first time all day.

        The homer involved the first bit of luck.

        “I hit it off the end of the bat,” Dunn said. “I didn't think I got it. The baseball gods were with me on that one.”

        In the ninth inning, the Expos had runners at first and second with no outs and their most dangerous hitter, Vladimir Guerrero, was at the plate.

        He hit a screamer at third baseman Dmitri Young.

        “I don't think it's humanly possible to hit the ball any harder,” Young said.

        Then came the second bit of luck.

        Young stopped it, stepped on the bag, then threw to second baseman Todd Walker, who threw to first baseman Robin Jennings.

        Guerrero barely beat the throw.

        “I said to (first base umpire) Brian O'Nora, "I know he was safe, but how can you not call the triple play?'” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

        “I was begging for it,” pitcher Danny Graves said. “Who knows when I'll get another chance to end a game on a triple play?”

        Graves got the next batter for his 31st save. Scott Sullivan (6-1) retired one batter to get the win and extend his winning streak six games.

        The Reds are holding at 51 home losses, sharing the team record for the most home losses with the 1937 club. But it looked as if they'd get it Sunday.

        Joey Hamilton was ineffective in third start for the Reds. He lasted only four innings, allowing eight hits and all four runs.

        Guerrero had two doubles, two RBI and a run scored. That makes Guerrero 8-for-10 with three doubles and a home run off Hamilton in his career.

        Hamilton left with the Reds down 4-0.

        “He struggled a little bit with his command,” Boone said. “He threw 30 pitches in the first inning. All pitchers lose their stuff when they get over 25 in an inning.”

        The Reds got back two runs in the fourth on a two-run single from Jason LaRue, who was in the lineup for first time in seven games.

        The score stayed 4-2 until the eighth, four shutout innings by five Reds relievers.

        Ken Griffey Jr. started the inning by striking out. But Young followed with his 20th home run of the year, extending his career-high and the Reds record for switch-hitters. The homer, off left-hander Joey Eischen, was only Young's third hitting right-handed.

        Getting to 20 homers was important to Young.

        “You don't want to get so close then come up short,” he said. “I've never done it even in the minors.”

        Jennings followed with a walk, bringing up Dunn. Dunn worked the count to 3-2, then hit his 17th homer of the year, to right field.

        “It felt good,” Dunn said. “I haven't had a hit off a lefty in two weeks.”

        Dunn entered Sunday in a 1-for-15 slump.

        “I never realized how tired you can get playing baseball,” Dunn said. “But I know what I have to do. I quit lifting around the All-Star break. I didn't think I had to.

        “It was just plain laziness. Now, I know.”

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