Jeff Keppinger and Brandon Phillips hit two-run homers in the seventh inning for the Cincinnati Reds Monday night, breaking open a tied game and sending right-hander Aaron Harang to a long-awaited victory, 8-7 over the surging Florida Marlins.
The Marlins arrived with a seven-game winning streak and the best record in the major leagues. Things looked good early, when they piled up three solo homers off Harang (2-5), including another one by Dan Uggla.
Finally, Cincinnati's wildly inconsistent offense came through for its No. 1 starter.
Harang hadn't won since April 10, going 0-4 despite one solid performance after another. The Reds scored two runs or less in half of his first eight starts, the main reason for that ugly record.
Keppinger, the Reds' most consistent hitter, snapped a 4-all tie with his homer off Taylor Tankersley (0-1), who came in to start the seventh. Phillips later connected for his seventh homer.
The Reds hadn't scored more than five runs in any game behind Harang, who gave up four runs and seven hits in seven innings before turning his rare lead over to the bullpen. It almost slipped away.
After Luis Gonzalez singled home a run in the eighth, cutting it to 8-5, closer Francisco Cordero came on and hit Wes Helms to load the bases with two outs. Ken Griffey Jr. dropped Mike Rabelo's fly ball to shallow right field for an error that let in two more runs, and a walk loaded the bases again.
Griffey bobbled Alfredo Amezaga's fly to the warning track before holding on with his bare hand for the last out of the inning. Cordero pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save in as many chances.
Cincinnati is the only team in the majors without a blown save.
The home run has figured prominently in the best start in Marlins history. Harang already knew what the Marlins could do -- he gave up five homers in his last two starts against them.
Make it eight homers in his last three.
Jeremy Hermida and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, and Uggla connected in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. It was Uggla's fourth homer in his last three games -- one was a grand slam -- and his eighth in 10 games.
Uggla has 12 homers overall after hitting a career-high 31 last season.
Right-hander Burke Badenhop gave up four runs in six innings, leaving with the score tied at 4. A throwing error by third baseman Jorge Cantu let in one of the runs.
