Barry Larkin drops his bat after hitting a game-winning single in the 12th inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        MILWAUKEE - When the Reds have to work overtime, they make it pay off. They beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 in 12 innings Friday night before what was left of 24,650 fans at Miller Park. With the win, the Reds ran their record in extra-inning games to 12-3.

        Pinch hitter Aaron Boone worked a one-out walk in the 12th and took third on Todd Walker's single to center. Barry Larkin followed with the game-winner - an RBI single to right.

        After an intentional walk to Adam Dunn, Jose Guillen got in another run with his second RBI groundout of the night.

        The victory broke the Reds' three-game losing streak to the hapless Brewers (50-91). It also kept Cincinnati 11 games behind the NL Central-leading St.Louis Cardinals with 22 to play.

        “You've just got to keep playing,” Larkin said. “I don't think anyone's talking about us catching the Cardinals. But until we're mathematically eliminated, it's possible. You've got to do what you can do.”

        The win made the Reds 68-72, so getting back to .500 is a reasonable goal.

Todd Walker gets tangled up with Matt Stairs after completing a double play in the fourth inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “I'm not thinking about .500,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “I'm thinking about winning every game we can. I'm going to put the best lineup I can out there.”

        Danny Graves (6-3) got the win with two innings of shutout relief. Joey Hamilton pitched the 12th for his first career save. In all, the Reds' relievers - Hamilton, Graves, John Riedling and Scott Williamson - pitched six scoreless innings.

        “They were all good,” Boone said. “Everyone. Having Riedling back is big. We know what he can do.”

        Reds right-hander Elmer Dessens, making his third start since returning from the disabled list with a strained groin, still hasn't been as sharp as he was pre-injury. He went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Dessens' ERA before the injury was 2.67. After, it is 6.00.

        “It's getting better and better,” Dessens said. “First time, five runs. Then, four runs. Now, three. I feel pretty good.”

        The Reds had only three hits through five innings. Part of that was their makeshift lineup: Guillen was batting cleanup. Part of it was Ben Sheets, who was 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in five previous career starts against the Reds.

        The Reds broke through in the sixth. Walker led off with a double that went to the wall in left-center. Larkin grounded to second to move Walker over. After Dunn walked, Guillen got Walker home with a fielder's-choice groundout.

        That seemed to get the Reds' bats going. Russell Branyan tripled into the right-field corner, scoring Guillen. Reggie Taylor singled home Branyan to make it 3-0.

        The Reds might have posted an even bigger inning. Jason LaRue singled and Taylor used his speed to get to third. But, at third base coach Tim Foli's urging, Taylor rounded the bag too far and was caught trying to go back.

        Dessens gave up the lead before he got another out. Jeffrey Hammonds led off the sixth with a double and Richie Sexson walked on four pitches.

        Reds pitching coach Don Gullett visited the mound before Matt Stairs, the next Brewers batter, came to the plate.

        The huddle didn't help. Stairs hit the first pitch he saw from Dessens out the opposite way to left-center.

        “He hit a pretty good pitch - sinker away,” Dessens said. “You have to give him credit.”

        The three-run homer, which broke the Brewers' 19-inning scoreless streak, gave Stairs 14 homers and 36 RBI this season. Four homers and 10 RBI are against the Reds.

        The Reds missed a great chance in the seventh. Juan Castro led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Castro tried to score on Todd Walker's grounder to second and was thrown out.

Reds 5, Brewers 3 Reds Box, Runs Reds Notebook: Graves balks at starting Cardinals 11, Cubs 2 Dodgers 3, Astros 2 Giants 1, Diamondbacks 0 Rockies 7, Padres 3 Twins stop Athletics' streak at 20

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