The grounds crew covers the field during a rain delay in the top of the 5th inning. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        This has to make interesting watching in St. Louis. The Reds pulled a wet rabbit out of their caps Saturday night, rallying from a two-run deficit with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

        The big hit was Adam Dunn's three-run homer.

        Dunn blasted a two-out, 424-foot shot into the green seats in right-center off Pirates reliever Joe Beimel before half the crowd of 31,419 fans who had begun the night.

        It was the second straight night the Reds rallied from a deficit after a lengthy rain delay — Saturday's was 1 hour and 53 minutes — knowing that the St. Louis Cardinals had won earlier in the day.

        The Cardinals trail the Reds by one game in the National League Central Division.

        “That's the part of the game where either you have it or you don't,” said Dunn, referring to come-from-behind victories. “I think we've got it. We've got the makeup that when we're down, we know we're not out.”

        If you were building an ark now (not such a bad idea considering it resumed raining at 11:30 p.m. in the bottom of the eighth) and were picking out two of every species on which to continue Cincinnati civilization, you would definitely pick Dunn as one of the Reds hitters.

        Dunn was 3-for-4 Saturday night.

        On his homer, the left-handed Dunn ran the count to 3-2 and crushed a slider. He had just missed hitting a homer in his previous at-bat.

        “When he came in from that one, I was thinking, "It must be nice to just miss one and hit it 600 feet in the air to 374 feet,' ” Reds first baseman Sean Casey said. “I told him, "Just get one for us next time.' He said, "I will.' And sure enough, he did.”

        Casey thinks that when the count goes to 3-2, the advantage is to Dunn. The pitcher better throw a strike, because Dunn isn't swinging on something out of the zone.

        Dunn said he doesn't like 3-2 counts — “the pitcher can throw anything,” he said — but he grinds harder against left-handers.

        “I think I concentrate a lot more,” he said. “I know my mechanics have to be better. I have to keep my shoulder in. The main thing is I try to see the ball real good off of lefties.”

Adam Dunn is tagged out by Pirates' Jack Wilson as he tries to advance to second base on a wild pickoff throw. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        Said Casey: “Nobody bothers Dunn. He's always real relaxed. Lefty or righty, he feels like he can do some damage on you.”

        Dunn did some damage on himself, too, running into the left-field wall while trying to keep Brian Giles' home run in the park. Something was sticking out of the wall — a nail or something. Dunn said a foul tip off one calf and a pickoff throw off another hurt more than the stitched-up knee.

        “That's the football mentality,” Casey said. “Actually, it's more like a hockey player.”

        Dunn's three RBI were as big as can be, given that the Reds continue to need late-inning theatrics to stay in first place.

        “It's unbelievable; it's somebody different every night,” Dunn said. “That's what makes this team special. It's fun to watch.”

        Dunn's home run shot out of the park on a high, screaming line and landed two rows deep in the green seats 20 feet above the 375-foot mark.

        These are the bolts on which legends are made, because they blow open games.

Adam Dunn watches his 3-run home run off Pirates pitcher Joe Beimel in the 7th inning. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        Dunn said he doesn't like 3-2 counts — “the pitcher can throw anything,” he said — but he grinds harder against left-handers.

        “I think I concentrate a lot more,” he said. “I know my mechanics have to be better. I have to keep my shoulder in. The main thing is I try to see the ball real good off of lefties.”

        The Reds were down 2-0, and the game was stopped at 8:23 p.m. in the top of the fifth. Play was resumed at 10:16.

        The Reds' offense, while not exactly blasting opponents to early defeat, has shown itself to be remarkably capable of producing late-game magic if within striking distance.

        “That's important; I think it's going to help us in the long run,” Dunn said. “Hopefully, we can start playing well, get jump-started, and put a little distance between us (and the Cardinals).”

Reds 4, Pirates 3 Reds box, runs Reds clinging to first by any means necessary Reds Q&A Reds setup men share spotlight Well-traveled Chen happy to hit Cincinnati Inherited difference Legendary workhorse Marshall develops a better plan Marshall's mark has impact on Sullivan Cinergy Moment No. 23 - Sept. 7, 1974 On the farm Norfolk 4, Louisville 3, 10 innings Green homers in 4th straight at-bat Interleague roundup Notes from Saturday's games John Fay's MLB rankings

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