CINCINNATI -- Sean Casey wouldn't recommend the Cincinnati Reds' penchant for last-inning comebacks to the weak-willed.
Jason LaRue tied it with a three-run homer and then Casey hit an RBI single as Cincinnati again rallied in the ninth inning, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 9-8 Saturday night.
"You've got to have a strong heart in this clubhouse, or you might have a heart attack," Casey said.
Of the Reds' 30 wins this season, 16 have come in their last at-bats. And this was their eighth walkoff win -- eight different players have gotten those winning RBI.
"It's always a good feeling in our dugout," manager Bob Boone said. "We never feel like we're out of it. Sometimes, we don't get it, and it's not good for my stomach, but the way we come back is important to these guys. I think it will make them better ballplayers."
LaRue extended his hitting streak to six games with his homer to center off Toronto reliever Cliff Politte (1-4), who blew his fourth save in 13 opportunities.
"I'm not going to say it was out," LaRue said. "I knew I hit it well. I knew it had a chance."
Aaron Boone opened the ninth with a single, Russell Branyan walked and LaRue homered. With one out, Rainer Olmedo singled, Adam Dunn walked and Casey won it with his single as the crowd of 30,158 roared.
Chris Reitsma (5-2) got the victory.
"It's like I've said before," LaRue said. "This team's got a ton of heart. We're going to go out and play our rear ends off for nine or 10 innings -- whatever it takes."
Dunn hit his major league-leading 20th home run. Ken Griffey Jr. returned to the Reds' lineup after missing two games because of a virus, and put down his first sacrifice bunt since Sept. 22, 2001.
Carlos Delgado hit his AL-leading 19th home run and Vernon Wells homered, doubled and singled for the Blue Jays.
Mike Bordick hit a three-run double as Toronto scored five times in the sixth inning for a 7-3 lead. His bases-loaded drive to left field missed by a foot of becoming the second grand slam of his 13-year career.
"Once you come back like that five or six times, you start to believe that you can do it all the time," Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said. "When the pitcher has trouble throwing strikes, it just boosts your confidence even more."
Delgado hit a two-run homer in the first, temporarily tying Dunn and Milwaukee's Richie Sexson for the most homers in the majors.
Dunn led off the third inning with his homer. Casey followed with a double, moved up on Griffey's bunt and scored the tying run on Austin Kearns' single.
Branyan gave the Reds a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning with his first homer of the season, an opposite-field drive to left off Jeff Tam.
Tom Wilson started Toronto's scoring in the sixth inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Tam finished it with his first career hit in his second career at bat, a run-scoring double off the left-field wall that chased Ryan Dempster.
Dempster allowed seven hits and seven runs in his first start since going on the disabled list on May 23 with an inflamed nerve in his neck.
Toronto starter Doug Davis, claimed on waivers from Texas on April 30, lasted just four innings, matching his shortest start since joining Toronto.
Notes
- Delgado's homer was his 33rd in interleague play. He snapped a tie with Texas' Rafael Palmeiro for the career interleague homer lead.
- Griffey has eight sacrifice bunts in his career.
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