These Reds are as resilient as rubber. Drop a heartbreaking loss on them; they'll win the next day. Narrow their divisional lead; they'll stretch it back out.

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Jason LaRue blocks Andruw Jones from the plate Sunday after taking a throw from Ken Griffey Jr. (Michael E. Keating photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        “Win or lose, we put today behind us and come let it hang out the next day,” third baseman Aaron Boone said.

        That was borne out again Sunday. After being handcuffed by Atlanta pitchers Friday and Saturday, the Reds rode their defense and Elmer Dessens' steady arm until the offense arrived late in a 5-1 victory.

        “It was finally our time,” reliever Danny Graves said. “They had held us to one run through two games, and one run (through 6 2/3 innings) today. But it's really hard to keep us down too long.”

        The victory, combined with St. Louis' loss to Pittsburgh, extended Cincinnati's National League Central lead to two games.

        After an off day today, gut-check time resumes Tuesday when the Cardinals (31-25) arrive for a three-game series. It doesn't get easier when the Reds visit A.L. West contender Anaheim (31-22) over the weekend.

        “It seems like these last two weeks and this next week coming up, this is probably going to be our hardest stretch throughout the whole year,” catcher Jason LaRue said. “We're not playing any slouch teams.”

Elmer Dessens pitched seven shutout innings, lowering his ERA to 2.51. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds are 22-9 (.710) against teams currently under .500. But they're 11-14 (.440) against teams over .500, including 2-5 against the Cardinals.

        “This is obviously a big series (with St. Louis),” Graves said. “We've proven we can beat the people we're supposed to beat. Now we have to prove we can hang with the teams that are going to be there at the end.”

        The Reds finished 2-4 against Atlanta, the NL East leader. Two of those losses were to Greg Maddux and another to Tom Glavine. Those are excuseable.

        What's worth focusing on is how the team responded to the back-to-back blowout losses this weekend.

        It's the same fashion in which the Reds responded in early May to a four-game losing streak, the season's longest, by winning their next three games. And in how they rebounded from the 10-8 loss May 12 to St. Louis, in which they lost an 8-0 lead, to win their next four. And how when the Cardinals were just about to leapfrog them in the standings last week, the Reds rallied for an extra-innings victory at Florida.

Barry Larkin breaks out of the batter's box on his bases-loaded double. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds have held sole possession of first place for 38 consecutive days.

        “I think these next three are obviously important, as it shapes (up) right now,” second baseman Todd Walker said. “There's no reason to believe we won't be sharp.”

        Said shortstop Barry Larkin: “You want to win the series. Two out of three is definitely the goal. I can tell you we'll be ready.”

        There was a clear sense of the importance of the victory Sunday. Dessens, who scattered six hits in seven shutout innings, called it the biggest of his career.

        “It was a big win,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “Elmer pitched great, we got some tremendous defensive plays ... and Larkin's hit capped it off. We really needed that.”

        That was Larkin's three-run double with two outs in the seventh, adding needed breathing room to what had been a 1-0 lead.

        Just as critical, however, was LaRue twice throwing out Rafael Furcal on steal attempts. And Walker making two outstanding plays on ground balls. And Ken Griffey Jr. throwing out Andruw Jones at the plate.

        That last play came with one out in the fifth. Javy Lopez singled to center, and Griffey's throw home bounced and began to roll as it neared the plate.

        “It seemed like the (infield) grass today was maybe a little higher than it's usually been, and the grass knocked it down pretty good,” LaRue said. “I knew it was going to be a bang-bang play. I was kind of talking to the ball, "Come on, come on.'”

        LaRue blocked the plate and made a sweeping tag to nail Jones. Larkin, who lauded the play, still had time to get on Griffey for “rolling in that 16-pound, two-finger, Brunswick bowling ball from center field.”

        Fired back Griffey: “Call me Kingpin.”

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