The Reds' winning streak wasn't stopped Wednesday night. But it was delayed — by rain.

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Sean Casey hugs Juan Encarnacion, who drove in the winning run. (Jeff Swinger photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        A heavy downpour accompanied by thunder and lightning stopped the game for two hours, 39 minutes, so the Reds didn't push the streak to four games until 12:45 a.m. today. And the fourth straight win — 4-3 over the Colorado Rockies — came dramatically. Juan Encarnacion's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth won it.

        Austin Kearns led off the ninth with a single off right-hander Jose Jimenez. Pinch hitter Wilton Guerrero sacrificed him to second. Pinch hitter Brady Clark, 0-for-his-last-13, grounded out, moving Kearns to third.

        That brought up Barry Larkin, whom the Rockies intentionally walked. The game was in Encarnacion's hands. He won it with a s
liner to center.

        “I wasn't trying to do too much,” Encarnacion said. “I wanted to put the ball in play.”

Adam Dunn runs down a fly ball in the second inning. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        The Rockies chose to pitch to Encarnacion, who has been the Reds' most productive hitter.

        “It's not a fluke,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “I've liked what I've seen from (Encarnacion).”

        Said Kearns: “We're here so long tonight. It's one you don't want to lose. It was good to pull it out.”

        Scott Williamson earned his first win since Aug.12, 2000, with two innings of scoreless relief.

        “It's been awhile,” Williamson said. “That win goes to Adam Dunn. He bailed me out twice.”

        Dunn did it first with a throw to get Terry Shumpert out at the plate in the eighth, and then with a nice running catch to stop Juan Pierre to end the ninth.

Encarnacion is safe at third in the third inning. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        The paid attendance — 13,004 — was the smallest paid crowd at Cinergy Field since Sept.21, 1998, when the Reds drew 12,969. There were an additional 5,334 straight-A students in attendance Wednesday.

        The Reds had three hits and a walk through two innings off Colorado left-hander Mike Hampton, the $9.5 million-a-year pitcher who came in 0-3 with an 8.74 ERA.

        Reds starter Chris Reitsma was trying to put together back-to-back strong starts. He pitched six innings of two-run ball in a no-decision last Thursday — the Reds beat Houston 5-4 in 10 innings. He was good early Wednesday when he allowed only one hit through the first three innings, and the Reds gave him a lead in the third.

Barry Larkin runs home on Casey's third-inning single. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Larkin led off with a walk, and Encarnacion followed with a single. Sean Casey got a run home with a single to left before Adam Dunn made it 2-0 with another single to left.

        After Aaron Boone grounded into a fielder's choice (he just missed getting doubled at first), Todd Walker hit a ball to deep center to get in the third run.

        That brought up Kearns, who worked the count to 3-1 before the rains came.

        The rain interrupted the game at 8:10p.m., exactly one hour after the start. Fans were encouraged to take cover because of the severe lightning in the area.

Austin Kearns grabs a fly ball. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        This is Colorado's only trip to Cincinnati, so the choice was made to wait out the rain to avoid a doubleheader tonight.

        When the game resumed, former Red and Elder High grad Chris Nichting took over for Hampton and got Kearns with two called strikes.

        Jim Brower came on to pitch for the Reds. By the time Brower took the mound, the cleaning crew was already working its way through the red seats.

        Brower gave up a three-run homer to Terry Bennett in the fifth. Brower went on to pitch four innings, the longest outing of the year by a Reds reliever. He allowed the three runs on six hits.

        Williamson started the eighth. He allowed a single to Terry Shumpert and walks to Larry Walker and Todd Zeile to load the bases. Todd Hollandsworth then hit a medium-range fly ball to Dunn in left.

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Aaron Boone hugs Encarnacion. (Jeff Swinger photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        Shumpert tried to tag up. Dunn's throw was a little high, but catcher Corky Miller handled the throw and made a great diving tag to get Shumpert.

        “That was a great throw,” Bob Boone said. “We know Adam can throw. Corky made a nice tag.”

        It's the kind of play the Reds have been making lately.

        “We're doing the little things to win,” Dunn said. “We had so much bad luck last year. Hopefully, things are starting to go our way.”

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