CINCINNATI(AP) -- A game that featured seven solo homers in the
first five innings came down to an infield single, a wild pitch
- and the Cincinnati bullpen.

Joey Votto scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the
seventh inning and the Reds overcame Jeff Keppinger's first
career multihomer game and five Houston homers in a 6-5 victory
over the Astros on Wednesday night.

Votto led off the seventh against Wesley Wright (3-3) with an
infield single and went to third on a single by Brandon
Phillips. Jeff Fulchino relieved Wright with Chris Coste going
in at catcher in a double switch. Fulchino bounced a pitch that
Coste couldn't handle, allowing Votto to break a 5-5 tie and
give the Reds their second sweep of a three-game series against
Houston in Cincinnati this season.

"That's why they call baseball a funny game," Fulchino said.
"That's the way it goes. I threw a slider that backed up on me.
I think if you ask Coste, he blocks that nine times out of 10,
but it bounced the other way."

Reds manager Dusty Baker was glad to take it.

"It doesn't matter how you get it as long as you get it," Baker
said. "It feels good to win again and get back on a winning
streak."

Three Reds relievers combined to retire the last 11 batters.
Jared Burton (1-0) retired all five he faced for the win. Nick
Masset pitched a perfect eighth and Francisco Cordero worked the
ninth for his 37th save and third in three games.

"We just got ahead of the hitters, especially in the last
inning," said Cordero, who has three blown saves this season.
"The bullpen's been lights out down there. I feel like I'm on a
roll every time I have a save opportunity. I've got to go out
there and do my job. That's why they pay me the money they pay
me."

Keppinger, a former Red, had two of Houston's five solo shots -
all off Reds starter Justin Lehr - but that wasn't enough to
keep the Astros from their fourth consecutive loss.

"That was an interesting game to read between the lines," said
Cincinnati's Jonny Gomes, who led off the second with his 20th
homer. "It's tough to win a game with solo home runs."

Gomes, mired in a 3-for-24 slump going into the game, gave
Cincinnati a 1-0 lead. Houston responded in the third with
homers by Kaz Matsui, Carlos Lee and Keppinger, each of which
was followed by an out.

Matsui's was his second homer in two nights and seventh of the
season, matching the career high he set with the New York Mets
in 2004. Lee's was his 26th, and Keppinger's was his sixth and
first in 32 at-bats since Aug 28.

Drew Stubbs led off the Reds' third with his seventh homer of
the season and second in two nights, and Scott Rolen added a
tying sacrifice fly.

The Reds took their second lead when Wladimir Balentien scored
on Lehr's suicide-squeeze bunt in the fourth, but Geoff Blum and
Keppinger came up with consecutive homers in the fifth. Blum's
was his 10th of the season and first in 60 at-bats since Aug.
16.

"I have been lifting weights," Keppinger said. "I've had a lot
of time to do it. Hitting five home runs doesn't mean much when
you lose. This is a good park to hit home runs in. The ball
carries and it plays small."

The Astros hit five homers on April 8, against the Cubs.

Lehr tied a club record by allowing the five home runs. He gave
up 11 hits and five runs with one walk and six strikeouts.

"Those balls were up and out over the plate," Baker said. "I
don't think I've seen a team give up five solo homers and end up
winning the game."

Houston manager Cecil Cooper was just as surprised.

"It's been a strange year," Cooper said. "Other than the five
solo home runs, we didn't put a whole lot together. Not a lot is
going right for us now."

NOTES: RHP Roy Oswalt's back problems will shut him down for the
rest of the season, Houston GM Ed Wade said before Wednesday's
game. ... RHP Jose Valverde is expected to meet the Astros in
Milwaukee after being left behind in Houston with a high fever
and sore throat. ... Reds RHP Johnny Cueto will most likely miss
his scheduled start Thursday against Florida after being sent
home before Wednesday's game with flu-like symptoms. Cueto
wasn't available for the team photo, which was shot Wednesday.
LHP Matt Maloney is scheduled to start for Cueto.