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Lee's HR in 12th sends O's past Reds

Jun 25, 2011 - 3:45 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Derrek Lee belted a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 12th to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game interleague set.

Jose Arredondo (0-3) allowed the decisive blast for the Reds, who have lost five of seven.

Michael Gonzalez (1-1) was credited with the win, as the Orioles snapped a two-game skid.

With two down and Joey Votto on first in the top of the 12th, Gonzalez allowed Jay Bruce to lace a shot to center. The ball rolled under the glove of the diving Adam Jones, but the centerfielder recovered to throw a strike to shortstop J.J. Hardy, who turned and cut down Votto at the plate, preserving the tie.

Lee continued the momentum, sending a 1-2 slider into the seats in left to register the game winner.

The result spoiled a scrappy effort from the Reds, who battled back from a 4-0 deficit.

The Orioles initially struck in the second, as Lee led off with a walk and advanced to third on Matt Wieters' ground-rule double. After a Mark Reynolds strikeout, Blake Davis recorded the first hit of his career -- a triple off the base of the wall in right -- which plated Lee and Wieters for a 2-0 edge.

Jones extended Baltimore's lead to three with a leadoff shot to center in the third.

Wieters led off the fourth with his second ground-rule double of the game. After Reynolds and Davis were retired, Hardy came through with a shattered- bat, bloop single over short to score Wieters.

With men on first and second and two down in the fifth the Reds finally answered, as Brandon Phillips belted a double down the right field line to cut the Orioles' advantage in half. Votto followed with a double to left-center which scored Phillips. Scott Rolen then was retired as Davis made a nifty over-the-shoulder grab to end the inning.

After Luke Scott drew a one-out walk, Lee knocked a double to left, effectively chasing Cincinnati starter Edinson Volquez from the game in the bottom of the fifth. Sam LeCure spelled Volquez and sandwiched a pair of strikeouts between a Reynolds intentional walk to escape unscathed.

Volquez lasted 4 1/3 innings. allowing four runs on seven hits and five walks.

Jason Berken replaced O's starter Chris Jakubauskas to begin the sixth and allowed a two-out game-tying RBI single from Paul Janish.

The Reds continued to apply pressure in the seventh, placing runners on second and third with two down. Jonny Gomes then beat a Jim Johnson offering into the dirt in front of the plate, but Johnson was able to field the ball as it rolled up the third base line and nail Gomes by a step at first to keep Cincinnati off the board.

Game Notes

Jakubauskas yielded five hits and three runs over five full frames...Previously, the Reds had never played at Camden Yards...The Orioles recorded their 21st home win of the season after not registering their 21st home win in 2010 until August 5...Jones has driven in at least one run in six straight games...Baltimore outfielder Nick Markakis extended his hit streak to 14 games.