By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reggie Taylor was the unlikeliest of heroes when he came to the plate for the Reds in the 11th inning Thursday.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Thursday's game

Taylor had two hits in his previous 26 at-bats and was striking out at a rate that would make Dave Kingman blush. But Taylor came through with a solid RBI single to lift the Reds over the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 at Great American Ball Park.

"That was so big for Reggie," Sean Casey said. "He's been battling lately. ... The guys were really pulling for him."

Thursday was the first time this season the Reds have . won on back-to-back days. They've won three of their last four games.

But this was the sweetest win of the young season.

"This one is awesome," Aaron Boone said.

It felt so good because the Reds had been so bad (four failed attempts at sacrifice bunts, two caught stealing). And it felt so good because they won on a night when Kevin Brown had no-hit stuff.

"That's as good as a guy can throw," Boone said. "That was a healthy, nasty Kevin Brown. But (Ryan Dempster) hung right with him."

Failure to execute fizzled potential rallies in the seven, eighth, ninth and 10th.

"We didn't do the fundamental things," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "But ... I'll take character and heart over getting down a bunt."

It's nice to have both, though, and the Reds got them in the 11th.

Felipe Lopez led off the 11th with a walk. Jose Guillen bunted him to second and got a standing ovation.

Taylor, hitting third in the order because Casey had been lifted for a pinch-runner in the seventh, lined a single to right. He had struck out 20 times in 37 previous at-bats, including one in the ninth.

"I just tried to relax and get a pitch I could hit square," Taylor said.

Casey and Boone greeted Taylor at first base. That led to "The Hop" at first - a first for the Reds.

Dempster was coming off two bad starts, but Thursday he looked like the guy who had a 2.30 ERA after two starts. Dempster went 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits, walking six and striking out five.

The Reds' starters have thrown three quality starts after going nine games in a row without one.

"Guys are being more aggressive," Dempster said. "That's what you've seen the last three starts."

Unfortunately for Dempster, he was facing Brown, who looked perfect through 4 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers nearly broke the scoreless tie in the sixth. But Guillen threw out Brian Jordan at the plate on Alex Cora's single. Catcher Jason LaRue hung on and made the tag despite a solid hit from Jordan, a former NFL defensive back.

LaRue led off the bottom of the inning with a shot off the wall in center. Dempster failed in an attempt to bunt him over, but Lopez singled up the middle to drive in LaRue.

The Dodgers answered in the seventh. Dempster walked Jordan on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run.

The Reds retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Casey led off with a single. Austin Kearns walked. Boone struck out on three pitches while attempting to bunt. Dunn walked to load the bases and Juan Castro grounded to shortstop Cesar Izturis, who went to the bag to force Dunn. Izturis' throw got to first about the time Castro did, but Castro was ruled safe and Ryan Freel, running for Casey, scored.

The Dodgers tied it in the eighth on Mike Kinkade's two-out RBI double off Kent Mercker.

John Riedling threw two shutout innings and Felix Heredia one to get the Reds to Taylor's heroics.

"It was a good night," Taylor said. "Dempster pitched great, the bullpen was great, and I got a big hit when we needed it."