By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A day of turmoil ended with tumult.
The Reds celebrated their second walk-off win in as many nights with the customary "hop" at home plate.
Jason LaRue's 13th home run of the year, leading off the 10th inning, lifted the Reds to a 5-4 victory over Colorado before a crowd of 24,861 at Great American Ball Park.
"That's one of the greatest adrenaline rushes you can have as a baseball player," LaRue said "I'm not talking for my sake because I hit the home run. Anytime your team wins like that, it's awesome."
It was the Reds' 24th win in their last at-bat, 13th extra-inning win and 12th walk-off win this year.
This one was special because it came after the Reds lost four teammates in three days to trades. The trades of Aaron Boone and Gabe White three hours before the game Thursday devastated the clubhouse.
"Those decisions have been made above us," LaRue said. "We have to put that behind us. We're all young in here. We're going to play hard."
LaRue, who tied Wednesday's game with a homer to lead off the ninth, set a career-high with Thursday's home run.
John Riedling (1-3) earned the victory with two innings of scoreless relief. The Reds' pitchers did not allow a hit after the fourth inning.
"That formula's the formula they've used all year to win those games late," manager Dave Miley said. "The bullpen was great."
Reds starter Jose Acevedo went seven innings, allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked none, and retired the last 12 batters he faced.
"We had a team meeting," Acevedo said. "We're not going to hang our heads. We're going to bust our butts for the Reds."
The Rockies scored two runs in the second on Juan Uribe's two-out, two-run triple
The Reds answered with four runs in their half of the second. Adam Dunn led off with a double to extend his hitting streak to six games, and LaRue was hit by a pitch. Russell Branyan, in the lineup at third base, lashed one into the visitor's bullpen in right for his fifth home run of the year.
Wily Mo Pena, fresh up from Louisville, doubled down the right-field line. Ruben Mateo dropped a single into right but Pena had to hold at third. Acevedo tried to move Mateo over, but he bunted into a double play. D'Angelo Jimenez, however, got Pena home with a single.
The Rockies tied the score in the third inning on Preston Wilson's two-run homer.
The Reds should have taken the lead in the third. LaRue was hit by a pitch, and Branyan followed with double into the right-center gap that turned into a double play.
How, you ask?
LaRue held up at third and Branyan kept running. LaRue was caught in rundown between third and home. Branyan compounded the mistake by straying off second and getting picked off.
"We made mistakes," Miley said. "But the best thing about it is we won the game."
Rookie Ryan Wagner worked a 1-2-3 eighth. He has retired 18 of the 19 batters he's faced this year.
| Colorado | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. |
| Belliard 2b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .291 |
| Bellhorn 3b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .215 |
| JJimenez p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| RReyes lf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .269 |
| Helton 1b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .348 |
| PrWilson cf | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .302 |
| LWalker rf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .291 |
| Payton lf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .307 |
| Fuentes p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- |
| Estalella c | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .202 |
| Uribe ss | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .245 |
| Tsao p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Cook p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .192 |
| Norton ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .248 |
| Bernero p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Lopez p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Stynes 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .266 |
| Totals | 34 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 8 | |
| Cincinnati | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. |
| DJimenez 2b | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .337 |
| Larkin ss | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .267 |
| Casey 1b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .300 |
| Freel pr-3b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .268 |
| Dunn lf-1b | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .221 |
| LaRue c | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .241 |
| Branyan 3b-lf | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .242 |
| WPena cf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .103 |
| RMateo rf | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .242 |
| JoAcevedo p | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Wagner p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- |
| Taylor ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .206 |
| Riedling p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .235 |
| Totals | 34 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 5 | |
| Colorado | 022 | 000 | 000 | 0 | -4 | 5 | 0 |
| Cincinnati | 040 | 000 | 000 | 1 | -5 | 11 | 0 |
LOB-Colorado 2, Cincinnati 9. 2B-PrWilson (36), Dunn (11), Branyan (5), WPena (3), RMateo (4). 3B-Uribe (2). HR-LaRue (13), off Fuentes; PrWilson (28), off JoAcevedo; Branyan (5), off Tsao. RBIs-PrWilson 2 (104), Uribe 2 (21), DJimenez (5), LaRue (38), Branyan 3 (14). CS-DJimenez (3). GIDP-LWalker, JoAcevedo. DP-Colorado 2, Cincinnati 1.
| Colorado | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP | ERA |
| Tsao | 4 1/3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 70 | 5.91 |
| Cook | 1 2/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 5.72 |
| Bernero | 2/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 1.08 |
| Lopez | 2/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4.76 |
| JJimenez | 2/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6.52 |
| Fuentes L, 2-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 31 | 3.06 |
| Cincinnati | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP | ERA |
| JoAcevedo | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 98 | 2.63 |
| Wagner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.00 |
| Riedling W, 1-3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 5.43 |
Fuentes pitched to 1 batter in the 10th.
Inherited runners-scored-Cook 3-0, Lopez 1-0.
HBP-by Tsao (Dunn), by Tsao (LaRue 2), by JoAcevedo (Estalella).
Umpires-Home, Jim Joyce; First, James Hoye; Second, Jim Reynolds; Third, Laz Diaz.
T-2:58. A-24,861 (42,263).
How the runs scored:
Rockies second. Wilson doubled to right. Walker struck out. Payton lined out to center fielder Pena. Estalella was hit by a pitch. Uribe tripled to center, Wilson scored, Estalella scored. Tsao flied out to right fielder Mateo.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rockies 2, Reds 0.
Reds second. Dunn doubled to center. LaRue was hit by a pitch. Branyan homered to right on a 1-1 count, Dunn scored, LaRue scored. Pena doubled to right. Mateo singled to right, Pena to third. Acevedo bunted into a double play, pitcher Tsao to shortstop Uribe to second baseman Belliard, Mateo out. Jimenez singled to right, Pena scored. Larkin walked on four pitches, Jimenez to second. Casey grounded out, first baseman Helton to pitcher Tsao.
4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Reds 4, Rockies 2.
Rockies third. Belliard singled to left. Bellhorn struck out. Helton popped out to shortstop Larkin. Wilson homered to center on a 1-1 count, Belliard scored. Walker fouled out to third baseman Branyan.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Reds 4, Rockies 4.
Reds 10th. LaRue homered to left on a 1-2 count.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Reds 5, Rockies 4.
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