Aaron Boone claps after crossing the plate with the go-ahead run. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds are rapidly becoming the drama kings of baseball. They scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning Friday to beat the San Francisco Giants 4-3 to extend their winning streak to six games before a crowd of 28,341 at Cinergy Field.

        This one was a lot like the other five: a dramatic, come-from-behind, edge-of-your-seat, one-run decision.

        “This is as good as it gets,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “You're not always going to get that big hit. But it's about trying and grinding it out.”

        The Reds got three big hits. After Scott Sullivan gave up a pair of runs to blow the lead in the top of the eighth, back-to-back-to-back, two-out hits from Adam Dunn, Aaron Boone and Todd Walker got the tying and go-ahead runs home.

        The hero was Walker, who drove in the winning run off fireballer Felix Rodriguez. Given the way he has been swinging, he wasn't the guy the Reds wanted up there. He was hitting .083 with runners in scoring position this year and had only five hits in his last 39 at-bats (.128). But he delivered a sharp single to right.

Todd Walker delivers the big hit. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “I'm not concerned about my average when I'm facing Felix,” Walker said. “With me, I've been pulling my front shoulder out. But when you're up there against a guy throwing 96, 97 (mph), you throw all that out and swing as hard as you can.

        “Hopefully he hits your bat.”

        The way the Reds have been going, it was a cinch it would. During the streak. the Reds have managed big hits, not bunches of hits. They've averaged 4.3 runs. The last three wins were all by the score of 4-3.

        The Reds moved into first place in the National League Central. The Pirates lost to the San Diego Padres 10-1, dropping Pittsburgh to 13-8. The Reds are 14-8, and the fans finally seemed to notice. It was the largest crowd since Opening Day. In fact, it was the first time the Reds have gone over 20,000 since the opener. The nice night (clear, 64 degrees), Barry Bonds and the five-game winning streak helped: Walk-up sales accounted for 6,800 of the crowd.

Barry Bonds gets hit on the foot by a pitch. Bonds also walked three times and grounded out. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The wise ones stayed until the end. It was the Reds' eighth come-from-behind win and pushed them to 8-2 in one-run games.

        After the Reds got the lead, Bob Boone took a little drama out of it by ordering a walk of Bonds with two outs in the ninth. Danny Graves got Jeff Kent to pop out to end it. It was Graves' ninth save.

        “I went out to be sure Danny was with me,” Boone said. “I told him, "I'm the boss.' I was pretty confident with the guys coming up behind him. I didn't think (Bonds) could score on a double with his bad hamstring.”

        Said Graves: “It was one of those situations. One-run game, we're not going to pitch to him. That's not being scared. It's being smart.”

        Reds starter Elmer Dessens continued his sterling streak. He went six innings, allowing one run on four hits.

Austin Kearns gets five from third base coach Tim Foli. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds took a 2-0 lead off Giants starter Russ Ortiz in the second. Aaron Boone led off with an infield single. Austin Kearns gave the Reds the lead with his second home run of the year — a shot just to the left of the 40-foot wall in the center field.

        “(Ortiz) hung a breaking ball,” Bob Boone said. “The kid did what you're supposed to do with it.”

        Dessens' streak of 19 innings without allowing an earned run ended in the sixth. Rich Aurilia led off with a towering blast that landed about 10 feet beyond the wall in left field.

        Luis Pineda pitched the seventh for the Reds before giving way to Sullivan.

        Sullivan walked Bonds on five pitches.

        Former Red Reggie Sanders worked the count to 3-2, then fouled off five pitches before striking out.

        J.T. Snow snapped an 0-for-18 stretch by the Giants with runners in scoring position with a single to center that scored Bonds to tie it at 2-2. Pinch hitter Damon Minor singled to right, scoring Kent to make it 3-2.
       

Rijo, Reds win again Reds box, runs Boston's Lowe gets season's first no-hitter Friday's Game: Reds 4, Giants 3 Reds box, runs Reds strutting their stuff Graves feels playoff excitement Kearns playing way into Reds' plans Reds Notebook: Dessens off to great start Bonds gets full attention from fans Rockies fire Buddy Bell

• Return to Reds front page...