Aaron Boone deserved the attention he received early Saturday morning for the two dramatic, first-pitch home runs he hit in the Reds' rain-delayed game victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night. Boone homered in the ninth to tie the game, and in the eleventh to win it.

        But there was a story in the shadows, too.

        While Boone was earning the best performance in a leading role — “I didn't think the second (homer) was going out, but it snuck over the wall and we snuck out before 1 (a.m.),” he said — a pair of supporting pitchers kept the plot alive. Without these surgically repaired comeback kids, Jose Silva, who had elbow surgery in March, and John Riedling, who had shoulder surgery in September, there would have been no been no bottom of the 11th.

        Both pitchers recently finished rehabilitation assignments with Triple-A Louisville.

        “I was more excited (Friday night) than I was in my first big-league appearance,” said Riedling, who pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh. “Just to be back out there with a second chance after major shoulder surgery felt great. It's always nice to know the manager has confidence in you to put you in a close game like that.”

        Silva held the Pirates scoreless in the ninth and tenth.

        “The adrenaline was pumping,” said Silva, who hadn't been in a game-on-the-line position in more than a year. “That's a good feeling, but you have to control it. That's the advantage of having been there before.”

        Scott Williamson pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win; Mike Williams the loss.

        The Reds got solo home runs, from Austin Kearns in the seventh inning and Juan Encarnacion in the eighth.

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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