After Aaron Harang's last start, a 3-0 loss to the Cubs at Great American Ball Park, Reds manager Dusty Baker noticed "a size 16 hole" in the tunnel leading from the dugout to the clubhouse.

"I didn't know anyone else on our team who could make that hole," Baker said.

When asked about it, Harang joked, "I don't see any hole down there." But then admitted his size 15 adidas did take on a wall last week -- and won.

"There was frustration, you're going to have that once in a while," Harang said. "The wall just took the brunt of it. I think it was more frustration because I made some good pitches and things didn't go the way I wanted it to. … It was a pent up snap, if you will. I was walking up the tunnel and saw the wall and the door."

While kicking walls can be a good outlet for stored energy, getting the victory Monday night against the Marlins was even better. The Reds, who scored a total of three runs in Harang's last three starts, scored eight runs and the bullpen was able to hold on to an 8-7 victory and Harang’s first win since April 10, improving to 2-5 on the season.

"It's tough to go out and pitch really well and come out on the losing end," Harang said. "You're going to have those games where you lose 1-0. It's definitely difficult when it's happening more, it's harder to bite your lip on that one. These guys know what they have to do to win, I know what I have to do to win. I've got faith in them. We've always been able to put up runs as long as I've been there. We're starting to come around."

Florida came into the game with the best record in the majors, 23-14, while the Reds were eight games under .500.

Harang, the team's ace with just a 1-5 record, allowed back-to-back home runs in the first inning, but a double play by Luis Gonzalez started a streak of 15 of 16 batters retired for Harang. The only blemishes from the end of the first to the sixth inning were a solo home run by Dan Uggla in the fourth inning and a single by former Red Jorge Cantu in the sixth, but Cantu was caught stealing to end that inning.

"I made some adjustments, I think too, I got a little more warmed up and got some adrenaline going. I just wanted to keep us in the game," Harang said. "That's knowing your mechanics and knowing what you do. You step back and realize what's going wrong and slow things down. You see some young guys and they get overanxious and try to overdo things instead of step back and slow things down."

After falling behind 3-0, the Reds scored two runs in both the fifth and the sixth innings, taking the lead on a wild pitch by Florida starter Burke Badenhop.

Harang surrendered the lead in the top of the seventh, but Jeff Keppinger and Brandon Phillip**** two-run homers in the bottom of the seventh to give the Reds an 8-4 lead.

"You know it's not over, because anything can happen in this game," Phillips said. "You try to get as many runs as possible, because you never know when you can use them. 'Ranger has been doing his job and our bats are coming around. … As long as we get the W, it doesn't matter how we win."

David Weathers started the eighth inning for the Reds and after a single to Jeremy Hermida, he got Hanley Ramirez and Cantu and was replaced by Jeremy Affeldt. Affeldt gave up a hit and a run to Luis Gonzalez and was replaced by closer Francisco Cordero.

Cordero hit the first batter he faced, Wes Helms, to load the bases, and then catcher Mike Rabelo hit a popup to short right field, where the ball popped out of Ken Griffey Jr.'s glove.

Griffey said he was distracted by Phillips, racing out to try to make the catch and sliding late. Replays showed the ball was in his glove and popped out, allowing two more runs to score and pulling the Marlins within a run. Cordero then walked pinch hitter Cody Ross. Leadoff man Alfredo Amezaga hit a ball to right-center that Griffey bobbled, but then caught.

"It hit me in the palm," Griffey said of the second bobble. "And then it's those wide receiver hands, going back to my days at Moeller."

Cordero then worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the season.

"I'm just glad we won that game and we won that game for Aaron, because he certainly deserved it," Baker said.

The wall was happy as well.