Jimmy Haynes delivers a pitch against the Marlins during the first inning Thursday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        MIAMI — The Cincinnati Reds negotiated a daunting stretch of games without a stumble, and they returned home Friday still leading the NL Central.

        The league's most surprising team beat the Florida Marlins 4-1 Thursday to complete a three-game sweep. That concluded a stretch where the Reds went 11-6, with all but three of the games on the road.

        “Anytime you can win on the road, it's clutch,” outfielder Adam Dunn said. “Overall we're playing pretty well.”

        The Reds are 17-12 in away games, the most road wins in the NL. They're 11 games above .500 for the first time and lead second-place St. Louis by two games.

        “Everybody is waiting for us to fall off,” shortstop Barry Larkin said. “That's motivation for a lot of guys.”

        Homers by Larkin and Dunn sparked the latest victory. Jimmy Haynes (5-5) took a shutout into the seventh, and three relievers combined to complete a seven-hitter, with Danny Graves pitching a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 22 chances.

        “These three games we were able to get ahead early, and guys were able to relax on the mound,” Larkin said.

        The Marlins have lost 12 of their past 17 games to fall from first to fourth in the NL East. They were swept for the first time since last Aug. 17-19 at Colorado.

        “The question now is how we respond to the down time,” manager Jeff Torborg said. “We have to dig deeper and harder.”

        The Reds hope to keep cruising while they wait for Ken Griffey Jr. to start hitting. He went 0-for-4 and is 2-for-17 since returning last week from a knee injury.

        “It's not unexpected when you haven't played in that long,” manager Bob Boone said. “It's like the first day of spring training, except you didn't get any practice.”

        Otherwise things continued to go right for the Reds. Their first two runs scored when right fielder Eric Owens dropped Larkin's bases-loaded fly in the second inning.

        “It's a horrible play,” Owens said. “When the ball was hit, I froze. When I tried to recover it bounced off my glove. It's a play I should have made. It set the tone for the whole game, and I stunk on the play.”

        Larkin added his third homer in the seventh, and Dunn hit his 11th homer in the ninth.

        Haynes shut out the Marlins until Derrek Lee hit his eighth homer with two outs in the seventh. Haynes allowed one run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings.

        “People underestimate how good our starting pitching is,” Dunn said.

        Rookie Kevin Olsen (0-3), who has yet to win in eight career starts, allowed only two earned runs in seven innings.

        Florida's Luis Castillo singled in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. He has the longest active hitting streak in the major leagues.

        Teammate Kevin Millar's second-inning single extended his hitting streak to 12 games, which ties a career high.

        Cincinnati's Todd Walker led off the game with a single to extend his career-high hitting streak, also 12 games.

        Dunn had three hits and is on a 16-for-28 tear that has raised his average to .314.

        “It was a pretty good trip for him,” Boone said.

        And another good trip for the rest of the Reds as well.

        Notes: The Marlins have given up 27 homers and hit just 11 during their skid over the past 17 games. ... Florida RF Cliff Floyd was given the night off. ... Cincinnati is 23-22 at Pro Player Stadium. ... The Marlins have allowed 56 first-inning runs, most in the majors. ... The Reds will give away Johnny Bench bobblehead dolls Friday against Atlanta. ... The Marlins had played 28 consecutive series without being swept.

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