NEW YORK, 18 July 2006 — Rich Aurilia’s pinch hit, two-run single keyed a five-run eighth inning, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati on Sunday.

Royce Clayton followed Aurilia’s hit with a pinch hit two-run double as the Reds overcame a 3-1 deficit in the bottom of the eighth to complete a four-game series sweep.

“You can’t rely on the home run every night,” Reds slugger Ken Griffey Jr. told reporters. “You have to do the little things.” The Reds did enough little things to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot despite being in the same division as one of the hottest teams in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Adam Dunn hit his 30th home run of the season to get the eighth inning started and the Reds hung on in the ninth to stay within four games of the first place Cardinals in the NL Central.

While the Reds have won four straight against the Rockies, the Cards are even hotter, winning seven in a row and sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend.

“We really believe we’ll keep it close,” Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron told reporters.

“We got through the first half OK and now we’ve bolstered our bullpen so we should be much tougher in closer games in the second half.” It was a season-high seventh straight loss for the Rockies.

Colorado starter Josh Fogg handcuffed the Reds for seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Relievers Tom Martin and Jose Mesa could not contain the Reds in the five-run eighth, however.

Mesa (0-3) was charged with three runs on three hits in one inning of relief to take the loss.

Edwin Encarnacion, Scott Hatteberg and Dunn all had two hits for the Reds, who had 10 hits altogether, five in the eighth inning.

Cincinnati made a strong start from Elizardo Ramirez, who went six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out four and walking one.

Three relievers allowed just one run on three hits the rest of the way, with Todd Coffey (4-4) pitching a scoreless eighth to get credit for the victory.

Recently acquired Eddie Guardado allowed one run on one hit in the ninth and picked up his third NL save of the season.

Jorge Piedra and Clint Barmes both homered and had two hits each for the Rockies, who also had 10 hits.

In St. Louis, Albert Pujols had four hits and drove in three runs as the Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-3 to complete a four-game series sweep.

Chris Duncan had three hits and scored three runs, Yadier Molina also had three hits and drove in three runs, and John Rodriguez hit a two-run homer for St. Louis.

Anthony Reyes (2-3) went five innings for an easy win. He allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking one.

All-Star Brad Penny (10-3) was knocked around for six runs on 10 hits over five innings, striking out five and walking one, to take the loss.