Cincinnati improved to 2-3 on a six-game road trip that ends Sunday while snapping the Dodgers' six-game winning streak.

With the score tied, 3-3, in the seventh, Dodgers reliever Alan Mills(0-1) retired the first two batters before walking Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr. Mills threw two strikes to Taubensee before the catcher lined a double to score both runners.

"He (Mills) threw a slider," Taubensee said. "It was up. I hit it down the right field line. It was the perfect time."

Los Angeles halved the deficit in the ninth and had a chance for more when Gary Sheffield came up with a runner on third, but Cincinnati closer Danny Graves walked him and then got Eric Karros to ground into a forceout for his first save.

"The first save opportunity for the team and it has to be interesting," Graves said. "It was a pretty good rush for me. I haven't felt that way in a while. Everybody in the park knew he (Gary Sheffield) wasn't going to get anything to hit. When he's the winning run, you don't give him anything. We took our chances with Karros and it worked out."

Reds starter Denny Neagle allowed three runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking five, but did not factor in the decision. Scott Williamson(1-1) struck out two of the three batters he faced for the win.

"He kept us in the game," Cincinnati manager Jack McKeon said. "He kept us in there for five innings."

Taubensee gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead in the first inning by lining starter Eric Gagne's 2-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his first homer of the season.

"It was definitely a nice night," Taubensee said. "I was just glad to get us on the board with some ribbies."

Taubensee's four RBI matched his career-high set five previous times.

"He did a (heck) of a job," McKeon said of Taubensee "He's a good clutch hitter. He's the kind of guy that gets hot for a week or two. He'll carry you."

But the Reds' defense committed a blunder that cost it the lead in the fifth. With one on and one out, Mark Grudzielanek hit a grounder to Neagle that should have been an inning-ending double play. But Larkin at shortstop and second baseman Pokey Reese miscommunicated on who was covering second, resulting in only a force play.

After Shawn Greene walked, Gary Sheffield blasted Neagle's next pitch over the left-field fence to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. Sheffield has hit safely in 17 straight games dating to last year, batting .433 (26-for-60) with nine homers during that stretch.

Cincinnati tied it in the sixth on rookie D.T. Cromer's RBI single.

Gagne pitched well, giving up two runs and three hits in five innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

"He threw just one bad pitch to Taubensee," Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said. "He settled down and pitched well. My pen is a little tired. I wanted to see Gagne throw well and he did."

Los Angeles' Shawn Green had his nine-game hitting streak snapped after going hitless in four at-bats.