Aaron Boone reacts to being hit by a pitch in the third inning. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        Game1 without Danny Graves as the closer was quite an adventure for the Reds. But manager Bob Boone is ready for that. “I thought it was fun,” he said. “A win is a win.”

        The Reds did get a win, 9-8 over the Pittsburgh Pirates, before 13,434 fans Monday at Cinergy Field.

        But there was nothing routine about this one. After Jose Guillen put the Reds up 9-3 with his sixth-inning grand slam, the relievers gave up five runs.

        The last of four relievers -- Scott Williamson, thereby the closer for the night -- finally stopped the bleeding in the ninth to earn his first save since May30, 2000.

        “It's been two years,” Williamson said. “It was like Opening Day again. I think I let the fans pump me up a little too much.”

        With Graves unavailable -- he's starting tonight in a late-season experiment -- Joey Hamilton was given the first crack at finishing. He entered the game in the seventh and started the ninth, but got just one out between two walks.

        Then Williamson came in to bail him out. Aramis Ramirez greeted the right-hander with a single to left that loaded the bases.

Jose Guillen is congratulated by his Reds teammates after hitting a grand slam home run off Pirates pitcher Al Reyes in the sixth inning. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        “I pitched well, except for the pitch to Ramirez.,” Williamson said. “I shook (catcher Jason) LaRue off. I let my ego get the best of me.”

        LaRue called for a slider, Williamson wanted a fastball instead.

        Williamson got a grounder for the second out, then walked Jason Kendall to force in a run. Williamson dodged further trouble by retiring Rob Mackowiak on a comebacker to end it.

        Hamilton, John Riedling and Williamson will all close while Graves starts.

        “I don't look at it as an audition,” Boone said. “I'm just watching them pitch. They all are capable.”

        Williamson is only who's done it, saving 19 games as a rookie in 1999. His saves can be adventures.

Barry Larkin slides safely into home. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        “He's always been like that,” Boone said. “But I see (64) innings, (39) hits and (75) strikeouts.”

        Guillen, a former Pirate, continued to make the most of his late-season opportunity with the Reds. His grand slam was the Reds' eighth this season, setting a club record. Guillen drove in another run to equal a career high with five RBI.

        “It's nice to do that against those guys,” Guillen said. “They traded me. It's good to show them something.”

        Guillen is hitting .265 with two home runs and nine RBI in his eight starts in right field.

        Reds right-hander Ryan Dempster (8-13) was the beneficiary of the big offensive night. He went six innings, allowing six runs on nine hits.

        Dempster started the seventh but left without retiring a batter. The Pirates scored four runs in the inning to close to within two at 9-7.

Reds 9, Pirates 8 Reds Box, Runs Reds left to guess on budget for '03 Left shoulder injury ends Casey's season Sasaki says elbow OK Sosa fed up, wants changes Ballplayer's kindness honors mother's heroics Cardinals 3, Brewers 0 Cubs 3, Expos 2 Astros 6, Rockies 5, 10 innings Athletics 2, Angels 1 Giants 6, Dodgers 5

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