Patterson's RBI triple the difference for Reds vs. Giants

CINCINNATI -- Jack Taschner had trouble with his location at the worst time for the San Francisco Giants.

Corey Patterson tripled in the go-ahead run off the left-hander in the eighth inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Giants 7-6 on Saturday night after blowing a three-run lead.

Tyler Walker got the first out of the eighth before San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy brought in Taschner (3-2) to face Jay Bruce and Patterson, both left-handed batters. Bruce grounded a single into center field, and Patterson hit the next pitch down the first base line and into the corner, where it rattled around long enough for Bruce to give Cincinnati a 7-6 lead.

"It's location," Bochy said. "He got a fastball up to [Bruce] and he put a backup slider right in Patterson's wheelhouse. We had the matchups. [Taschner] couldn't make a pitch."

Taschner has recorded just one out in his last three outings, allowing three runs and five hits.

"It's gotta be location, because the stuff is still there," he said. "I'm throwing beach balls up there. I've not gotten anyone out. It's embarrassing that we score that many runs and can't get a win."

Mike Lincoln (2-5) got the win despite giving up a tying solo homer to Aaron Rowand in San Francisco's three-run eighth inning. Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 32 opportunities as the Reds won back-to-back games for the first time since beating San Diego on July 22-23.

Randy Winn homered twice and Eugenio Velez hit his first career homer for the Giants, who have lost four of their last five.

Ramon Ramirez shook off Winn's leadoff home run to go seven solid innings in his major league debut. Ramirez, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday, didn't allow a hit in his last three innings and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. The 25-year-old right-hander gave up three runs and five hits.

"I felt nervous," Ramirez said through an interpreter about the first inning. "I was trying to calm myself down. I thought I relaxed very well after that."

Reds manager Dusty Baker agreed.

"That was one of the best seven innings we've had from our young pitchers this year -- maybe the best," Baker said. "He gave us what we needed."

Kevin Correia, who threw nine pitches in his last start against Cincinnati on April 26 before straining a muscle and going on the disabled list for seven weeks, went six innings this time. The right-hander allowed six runs and seven hits.

The Reds batted around in the first to take a 5-1 lead. Jeff Keppinger and Edwin Encarnacion each hit a sacrifice fly, Patterson had an RBI single and Ryan Hanigan capped the scoring with a two-run double. Correia threw 28 pitches in the first.

Velez hit a two-run homer into the visitors' bullpen in the second inning but Edwin Encarnacion hit his 24th homer in the third to make it 6-3.

Game notes
Winn has three of the Giants' four leadoff homers this season and 16 leadoff homers in his career. ... INF Adam Rosales was optioned to Triple-A Louisville to make room for Ramirez. ... Reds RHP Nick Masset wasn't available for the second straight game after slightly injuring his right hand in a car accident while driving home from the airport Thursday night after the Reds returned from their road trip. ... RF Fred Lewis returned to San Francisco's starting lineup after being scratched on Friday with a tight right thigh. ... Cincinnati's official scorer announced a change in scoring from Friday's game, crediting C Paul Bako with a hit on a play originally ruled a sacrifice bunt.