By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ryan Freel tries to steal second base in the first inning Thursday. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

The Chicago Cubs brought a playoff atmosphere to Great American Ball Park for their three-game series with the Reds.

The home team finally got caught up in the excitement Thursday.

The Reds, who managed six hits in the series' first two games, scored six runs in the sixth inning and held on for the a heart-thumping 9-7 victory over the Cubs.

"That was big for us," Sean Casey said. "A national audience. A playoff atmosphere."

Said Reds manager Dave Miley: "It's something you could used to. From the first inning on, it was electric."

The loss knocked the Cubs into a first-place tie with Houston in the NL Central. The Astros defeated Milwaukee 6-1 Thursday.

Ray Olmedo's RBI double and Casey's two-run homer were the key blows in the sixth, when the Reds took an 8-4 lead.

But it was far from over.

Sammy Sosa's second homer of the night cut the lead two in the eighth inning. But reliever John Riedling left the tying runs on base with a strikeout of Tom Goodwin. Riedling, whose first child was born earlier in the day, pumped his fist as he ran off the mound.

The excitement didn't end with Riedling's punchout. The Reds went up 9-6 on Casey's broken-bat RBI single in the eighth inning.

Chicago's Randall Simon led off the ninth with a home run off Chris Reitsma. Simon was hitting in the ninth spot, so Reitsma had to retire the top of the Chicago order to record his 12th save of the season.

Kenny Lofton grounded out, and Dernell Stenson robbed Mark Grudzielanek with a running catch in left. Casey then leaped into the stands to try to catch a Sosa foul pop on third pitch to Sosa.

"I almost caught it," Casey said. "I landed on some Reds fans."

Sosa worked the count to 3-2, then grounded one up the middle that went off shortstop Olmedo's glove for an error.

But Moises Alou lined out to Stenson to end it.

"They kept playing until the last out," Miley said. "We made it interesting in the end."

Sosa's first homer of the game was No. 537 of his career, moving him out of a tie with Mickey Mantle and into 10th place on the all-time home run list. He has 39 home runs this season.

The two RBI gave Sosa 100 for the ninth straight year. Only two other players - Jimmie Foxx and Rafael Palmeiro - have ever done that.