MILWAUKEE – Aaron Boone hit a two-run home run in the 12th inning and the Cincinnati Reds overcame a six-run deficit to defeat Milwaukee 10-8 Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of the Brewers.

Sean Casey singled with one out in the 12th off Leo Estrella (2-2) and Boone followed with his 16th homer to left to give the Reds their third win in a row after losing eight straight. Boone had been 0-for-5 before the homer.

Felix Heredia (5-0) was perfect through the final 2 1-3 innings for Cincinnati, which had its biggest comeback of the season.

Milwaukee tied the score at 8 in the ninth when Richie Sexson hit a two-out RBI single to center that drove in Scott Podsednik, who singled to lead off the inning.

Sexson’s hit ruined a three-run rally by the Reds in the top of the ninth. After two one-out walks, Barry Larkin made the score 7-6 with an RBI single. Following a double steal that out runners on second and third, D’Angelo Jimenez scored on a groundout by Jose Guillen. Casey then hit an RBI single to short left-center off reliever Mike DeJean that drove in Larkin and gave the Reds an 8-7 lead.

It was DeJean’s seventh blown save in 24 opportunities. Scott Williamson, who came in for Cincinnati in the bottom of the ninth, blew his fifth save in 25 chances.

Ken Griffey Jr., who had hit home runs in five straight games, came up as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and walked. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the official statistician of major league baseball, Griffey’s home run streak didn’t end because he didn’t have an official at-bat.

Brady Clark, getting a rare start in left field in place of All-Star Geoff Jenkins, doubled and scored in the first inning and hit a two-run homer in the third as the Brewers took a 7-1 lead after four.

But the Reds got within 7-4 on Casey’s 10th home run of the season. His three-run shot, which hit the top of the fence and bounced over, came after Kinney had walked Jimenez and gave up a single to Larkin.

The Brewers scored in the first on back-to-back, two-out doubles by Clark and Sexson, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Wes Helms hit his 16th home run leading off the second for a 2-0 Milwaukee lead.

Podsednik singled to start the third, extending his on-base streak to 43 games, longest in the majors this season. He scored on Clark’s second homer of the season and 20th allowed by Cincinnati right-hander Danny Graves in 20 games, including 19 starts.

John Vander Wal scored later in the inning when Cincinnati third baseman Boone threw a low ball to first that got past Casey.

Guillen put the Reds on the board with a solo homer in the fourth. Keith Ginter hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning that put Milwaukee up 7-1.

Notes: CF Sexson’s longest hitting streak is 14 games from Aug. 30 to Sept. 11, 2000. … Milwaukee LHP Glendon Rusch made his first relief appearance since June 14, 2000 when he replaced starter Matt Kinney to start the sixth. … Kinney got his first major league hit when he doubled in the fourth. Kinney, who had been 0-for-33, later scored on Ginter’s homer. … The Reds, who ended their eight-game losing streak Friday, are 2-5-2 in their last nine series. … Milwaukee went 4-6 in its 10-game homestand before the All-Star break … C Ned Yost IV, son of Brewer manager Ned Yost, was named to the NCAA-sanctioned Northwoods League All-Star team. The younger Yost is batting .288 for the Wausau (Wis.) Woodchucks.

AP-ES-07-13-03 1758EDT