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CINCINNATI — Willie Harris, subbing for the injured Elijah Dukes in left field, picked up Brandon Phillips' single just as Cincinnati's Jerry Hairston Jr. rounded third base Saturday night, July 5.

This bottom-of-the-ninth series of events began when Hairston singled to open the inning and stole second base. Jay Bruce struck out before Ken Griffey Jr. was intentionally walked and Phillips came up with one out.

The throw from Phillips' hit was close to Washington catcher Jesus Flores but skipped past him before Hairston slid into home plate and gave the Reds a 3-2 victory at Great American Ball Park. It was the Reds' third-straight win against the lowly Nationals, and it was very close to a momentum-killing out at the plate.

"It hit," Reds manager Dusty Baker said, "and picked up speed."

A half-inning before, Flores had tied the game 2-2 when his sacrifice fly scored Felipe Lopez. With that score, Reds closer Francisco Cordero, suffered his fourth blown save, although he ended up the winner in front of 37,121 after the dramatic finish.

Cincinnati starter Josh Fogg, even without a win, inspired positive feelings after he allowed one run on six hits in six innings in his first start back from a rehabilitation assignment to ease lumbar back spasms. He left the game tied at 1.

The Reds went ahead 2-1 in the eighth on a Paul Bako RBI single that drove in Joey Votto, but Cordero walked Dmitri Young leading off the top of the ninth and pinch runner Lopez came around to score on the Flores sacrifice fly to again tie the game.

Then Phillips' single ended with a close play at the plate.

"It was a nice throw," Phillips said. "It took a little bad hop, went by him, game over."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389

or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.