MIAMI — The Reds weren't quite ready to give up first place. Aaron Boone's second home run of the game, a two-out, solo shot in the 11th inning, lifted the Reds to a 6-5 victory over the Florida Marlins before 7,386 fans Tuesday night at Pro Player Stadium.

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3B Aaron Boone catches a foul ball by Marlins RF Cliff Floyd during the third inning. (AP photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        Boone, so maligned by fans this season, adopted a new attitude a week ago.

        “I finally got to the point where I quit worrying about it,” the Reds' third baseman said. “I was going to let it hang out in the game and what happened, happened. You want to get a hit so bad that the mental starts affecting the physical. You've got to let it go.”

        Boone's homer came a half-inning after Reds closer Danny Graves, who was unable to protect a ninth-inning lead, pulled out an amazing escape job in the 10th.

        “It's a huge win,” Graves said. “We look at it as a must-win. I know it, but we've got to keep ahead of those guys.”

        “Those guys” are the St.Louis Cardinals, who defeated the Houston Astros 4-1 on Tuesday. The Reds maintained their half-game lead in the NL Central.

        “I'm scoreboard-watching,” Graves said. “I saw they were up 4-0. We felt like we had to win.”

        The Reds couldn't have picked a better hero than Boone, who hit around .125 for an entire month.

        “It's been a tough month,” Boone said. “Hopefully, it's time for me to start chipping in.”

Marlins CF Preston Wilson and RF Cliff Floyd signal to umpires after a ball hit by Adam Dunn stuck in the padding during the first inning. | ZOOM |

        The 10th inning could be remembered as a turning point in the Reds' season.

        Florida's Luis Castillo led off with a shot down the left-field line. The ball eluded Reds left fielder Adam Dunn for a two-base error, putting the winning run on third base with no outs.

        Andy Fox lined out to first before Graves walked Preston Wilson and Cliff Floyd to load the bases.

        That brought up Mike Lowell, who had scored the tying run in the ninth. This time, Graves struck him out. Former Red Eric Owens then ended the threat by hitting a liner right to second baseman Todd Walker.

        “Gravy made some serious pitches when he had to,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “He has a lot of heart. He exemplifies this team.”

        Graves (2-1) pitched the 11th to get the win. It was, all in all, a miraculous win. Reds pitchers — Graves was the sixth — stranded 16 Florida baserunners.

        “This team stays after it,” Boone said. “When you do that, sometimes good things happen.”

        Marlins right-hander Vladimir Nunez (4-1), who allowed only Aaron Boone's second homer in two innings, was the loser.

        The game had enough twists and turns for a series.

Florida's Mike Lowell scores the tying run in the ninth inning as Jason LaRue canšt handle the throw. | ZOOM |

        The Reds nearly won it in the ninth. Austin Kearns led off with his second hit. Boone sacrificed him to second and Barry Larkin's fly ball to right sent Kearns to third. Jason LaRue followed and lined an RBI single to left that made it 5-4.

        The Marlins tied it in their half of the ninth off Graves, who blew his fifth save in 21 chances.

        Lowell led off with a single, and Owens sacrificed him to second. Derrek Lee's single to center scored Lowell and tied the game at 4. Ken Griffey Jr.'s throw home was strong and beat Lowell, but LaRue could not handle the hop.

        Walker started the game with a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to 10 games — the longest by a Red this year. Dunn's ground-rule double sent Walker to third.

        It looked like Walker and Dunn might be stranded when Griffey and Sean Casey both flied out to shallow left. But Kearns got both runs in with a single up the middle.

        Boone made it 3-0 with a home run to left to lead off the second.

        Reds starter Elmer Dessens got into trouble in the second. He loaded the bases on two walks and a single and struck out Charles Johnson before pitcher Julian Tavarez laid down a good drag bunt. First baseman Casey fielded, but Dessens swatted at the throw with his glove for an error. A run scored and the bases remained loaded.

        After an out, Fox's chopper scored another run, making it 3-2.

        The Marlins took the lead in the third on Johnson's two-run double, but the Reds tied it at 4-4 in the sixth on Casey's RBI single.
       

Reds 6, Marlins 5 Reds Box, Runs Reds ignored by All-Star voters Reds Notebook: Sullivan encouraged by 2 scoreless innings Marlins manager toasts Graves Players unhappy with owners' PR campaign Steroids 'prominent' in baseball Cardinals 4, Astros 1 Dodgers 8, Brewers 4 Giants 1, Diamondbacks 0, 10 innings Rockies 3, Padres 2 Twins 11, Rangers 4 Yankees 4, White Sox 2

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