PITTSBURGH — Jason LaRue, slugger. As the Reds' offense sputters around him, LaRue is doing his best Johnny Bench imitation at the plate.

Jason LaRue rounds third to greetings from coach Tim Foli after his grand slam. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        For the second time in three games, LaRue lifted the Reds to victory with a home run. His eighth-inning, two-out grand slam was the difference in the Reds' 7-5 decision over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night at PNC Park.

        LaRue's slam put the Reds ahead 6-2, but it got a little hairy from there. The Pirates scored three runs in the eighth to make it 6-5 and would have tied it if not for left fielder Russell Branyan's running, diving catch with a runner at third.

        The game ended on first baseman Adam Dunn's no-look stab of a hard grounder to first with the tying runs at second and third.

        “The baseball gods were smiling on us tonight,” Branyan said. “There were some hellish plays out there. Dunner's at first. (Austin) Kearns scoring there. That was a great slide.”

        Kearns scored in the ninth on Barry Larkin's single to make it 7-5. The throw easily beat him, but he avoided the tag with a wide slide.

Austin Kearns scores by sliding around Jason Kendall's tag. | ZOOM |

        Because of LaRue's big blow and all the late plays that went their way, the Reds return home feeling a whole lot better about themselves. The victory allowed them to split the two-game series with the Pirates. It also made them .500 on their eight-game road trip after an 0-3 start.

        And it kept them 3 1/2 games behind the St.Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. The Cards beat San Francisco 5-1 Thursday.

        “It's a strange game,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “LaRue struck out (in five at-bats) before the home run.”

        Branyan, 9-for-19 in his last five starts, went 3-for-5 and drove in the tying run just before LaRue's slam. He also took extra bases away from former Red Pokey Reese with a running catch in the fifth.

        Branyan has played himself into more playing time.

        “It's been hard for me (to keep him out of the lineup) since we first got him,” Boone said. “He's got a chance to be something special.”

Jason Kendall upends Todd Walker to break up a double play. | ZOOM |

        Reds right-hander Jimmy Haynes made another excellent start but had nothing to show for it. He went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Haynes has allowed a total of three runs in his two starts since the All-Star break, but he is 0-1.

        The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Reggie Taylor's RBI single. But the Reds' offense, which came in averaging 3.4 runs a game since the All-Star break, couldn't get anything going after that.

        Haynes allowed only one hit through four innings, but the Pirates broke through for two runs in the fifth.

        The score was 2-1 until the eighth. Aaron Boone and Dunn started the inning with walks and, after Kearns struck out, Branyan lofted a fly ball to left that the Pirates' Brian Giles couldn't run down. It bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double.

        The Reds pinch-hit Larkin for Larson and he struck out. The Pirates then intentionally walked Taylor to get to LaRue.

        Manager Boone let LaRue hit, which was somewhat surprising considering Sean Casey was on the Reds' bench and right-hander Brian Boehringer was pitching for Pittsburgh. LaRue launched a 2-1 pitch over the left-field fence for his third home run in three days and fifth of the year.

        “As soon as they walked Larkin, (Boone) said, "Let's go, Jason,'” LaRue said. “When your manager shows confidence in you like that, it's obviously a big boost.”

        The Pirates came back against Scott Sullivan in their half of the eighth.

        Sullivan got the first two hitters to fly out, but the Pirates made it 6-3 on Kevin Young's RBI single. Sullivan then hit pinch hitter Craig Wilson to load the bases. That ended his night.

        Reds closer Danny Graves came in and promptly allowed a two-run single to Reese to make it 6-5. Branyan then made his diving catch on Chad Hermansen's fly ball into shallow right-center.

        “I tried to stride it out,” Branyan said. “I knew when I got close, it was me or nobody.”

        Larkin's RBI single in the ninth made it 7-5.

        Graves allowed a hit, got a fielder's choice and allowed another hit in the bottom of the ninth. Aramis Ramirez then hit a chopper so high that Boone thought Larkin had no play.

        “We were yelling to hold it from the bench,” Boone said.

        But Larkin threw Ramirez out. Then came Dunn's play. He was looking skyward when the ball went into his mitt.

        “That glove is trained by (Sean) Casey,” Dunn said. “All you have to do is open it and it goes in.”

Reds 7, Pirates 5 Reds Box, Runs Boone hopes chats change struggling players Reds Notebook: Larson on the spot Pirates give Reds credit Reds-Mets Series Preview Rose: 'I'm dead to baseball' Rochester 8, Louisville 6 Cardinals 5, Giants 1 Padres 4, Dodgers 1 Athletics 2, Angels 0 Mariners 5, Rangers 3

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