So much so that his manager used four-letter words to describe Encarnacion's play Sunday.

"You go from goat one minute to hero the next," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of his third baseman after the Reds pulled out a 4-3 comeback win in 10 innings over the Brewers at Great American Ball Park.

Hero and goat, indeed. Encarnacion was both on Sunday.

The Brewers scored twice in the top of the 10th off Jared Burton, thanks in part to an Encarnacion error that would have at least forced out the lead runner, but could have been an inning-ending double play.

Infamous for his defensive play, Encarnacion bobbled Jason Kendall's grounder and loaded the bases, but only until Burton's wild pitch against the next batter scored the go-ahead run.

Milwaukee scored another run before the end of their frame, and fans who had stuck out the rainy afternoon in Cincinnati started heading home.

With the Reds up, Encarnacion responded with a leadoff home run -- his second of the game -- in the bottom of the 10th. Paul Bako made it back-to-back homers off Brewers closer Eric Gagne (1-1), and all of a sudden it was a game again.

"I knew they got two runs late, but I was just trying to get on base," Encarnacion said. "I'm a professional, and I know that anyone can win and anyone can make a mistake."

Encarnacion finished 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 10 games, which ties a career high.

"I mean, I'm happy for him, because he's a guy that bleeds internally," Baker said of the oft-criticized Encarnacion.

Encarnacion's error in the 10th proved costly, but had it not been for his bat, the Reds would have lost in nine innings. The fifth-inning shot, which came off Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo, kept Aaron Harang out of the decision.

Harang threw a gem, pitching eight innings of one-run ball. One of the four hits allowed was J.J. Hardy's solo homer in the fourth, and Harang struck out eight while walking none.

"That's the Aaron Harang I know," Baker said.

Francisco Cordero walked one and gave up a hit, pitching a scoreless ninth against his former team. Burton (1-1) earned the victory with one of his worst outings of the season, though both of the runs he gave up were unearned. Burton walked one, struck out two and gave up two hits.

After Bako tied the game up, the house was rocking, and the Reds looked to keep the rally going. Scott Hatteberg, the next hitter, walked in his only plate appearance, bringing the top of the order back around.

The Brewers tapped Salomon Torres in relief of Gagne, who blew his third save of the season allowing the Reds to tie it up, and he struck out Corey Patterson before getting into a bit of trouble himself.

Brandon Phillips's soft grounder went for an infield single, bringing Griffey to the plate with two runners on base and victory at hand. Ahead in the count, 3-1, Griffey ripped one into right-center that looked good right off the bat, bringing home pinch-runner Ryan Freel.

"After it bounced, that's when I knew it was the game-winner," Griffey said afterward.

The clubhouse was in good spirits after the game, but Griffey said he was trying to keep the win in perspective, just as he would've the loss if the Reds hadn't bounced back.

"It's 162 games, and we have, what, 144 left?" he asked. "I'd rather get through a mini-slump like this in April rather than in September when you're in it, but tomorrow's a different day."

Baker took a different view.

"We needed this one badly," he said of the 8-11 Reds. "We just want to keep everyone in sight until we get rolling.

"When I came to the park today, I was thinking craps, 7-11. [During the 10th,] I was sitting there blowing on dice when I didn't even have anything in my hand."

Luck is another four-letter word Baker will take when it comes his way.