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Reds down Nats on Cairo's walkoff single

Aug 27, 2011 - 5:28 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Miguel Cairo knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning with a single into the left-center field gap, sending the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

Drew Stubbs ripped a one-out single off Collin Balester (1-2) to begin the rally and Todd Frazier followed with another hit to put the winning run in scoring position and set the stage for Cairo's walkoff winner.

"I always give myself a chance every time I go to the field," Cairo said. "When I go up there I expect to win and I play hard."

Francisco Cordero (5-3) allowed a runner to reach second in the top of the ninth, but worked out of trouble to earn the win.

Starter Dontrelle Willis worked seven innings in a no-decision, but collected three hits for the Reds, who have won 10 of their last 15 games.

Wilson Ramos accounted for all of Washington's runs with a three-run homer, and Ian Desmond added two hits for the Nationals, losers of four straight.

With the game tied at three, Washington put the go-ahead run at third base in the eighth when Jayson Werth singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Espinosa and advanced to third on a fielder's choice groundout by Ramos. The Nats were unable to take the lead, however, as Jesus Flores grounded out to third.

"We should have added on a few times," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "We had the meat of the lineup with runners in scoring position and didn't swing the bats [well]."

The Reds had a shot to take the lead in the home half of the inning, but Jay Bruce struck out with runners on the corners and two away.

Cincinnati opened the scoring in the second. After Stubbs fanned, Frazier reached base on an error by Desmond and advanced to third on a single by Willis. Brandon Phillips came through with a sharp single to left to put his team in front.

After putting two runners on base in each of the first three innings and failing to score, the Nationals cashed in during the fourth. Willis began the frame by walking Espinosa on four pitches, and Jonny Gomes slapped a single to left before Ramos ripped a 1-0 fastball over the wall in right to give the Nats a 3-1 lead.

The Reds threatened in the sixth when Paul Janish worked a walk and Willis singled. Phillips then smoked a single into left and Gomes came up firing, but Janish slid in just ahead of the tag from Ramos to make it a 3-2 game.

In the seventh, Desmond poked a one-out single to left and Brian Bixler reached on a infield single that went just off the over the head and off the glove of Willis. But Willis recovered to induce a groundout from Ryan Zimmerman and caught Michael Morse looking to end the frame.

Cincinnati tied the game in the home half. Bruce walked and Ramon Hernandez singled ahead of Frazier's single to right.

Game Notes

Prior to Friday's game, the Reds optioned pitcher Travis Wood to Triple-A Louisville and recalled pitcher Logan Ondrusek from the farm club...Friday kicks off a seven-game homestand...The Reds are 35-30 at home this season...This is Gomes' first game in Cincinnati since being traded to the Nats at the deadline...Reds first baseman Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to 11 games...Willis is the first Reds pitcher to record three hits in a game since Mike Leake did it on July 9, 2009...The game was delayed in the top of the eighth inning due to a bank of lights going out behind home plate...It was the Reds' eighth walkoff win of the year...It was Willis' 15th career multi-hit game.