NEW YORK -- Alfredo Simon making his first start in more than two years. Manny Parra stepping into the closers spot. Turns out, all the Cincinnati Reds needed for a win in New York was a little role reversal. Simon pitched seven impressive innings and began the go-ahead rally with his second career hit and Parra got the final six outs for his first career save, helping the Reds beat the Mets 2-1 Sunday to salvage a win in the three-game series. "At the end of the game I didnt even really know what to do," Parra said. "It was awesome." Joey Votto had a sacrifice fly and Ryan Ludwick a tiebreaking single off Jonathon Niese (0-1), who was making his first start of the season after a being slowed by shoulder and elbow injuries this spring. Simon (1-0) made 99 relief appearances for the Reds since his previous start, on Sept. 28, 2011, for Baltimore, but manager Bryan Price tapped the right-hander because Mat Latos is rehabbing from knee and elbow operations. Price said Simon is one of the most durable guys on the staff and had no problem letting him go deep into the game. He lifted Simon for the left-handed Parra to start the eighth after allowing just four hits and throwing 79 pitches. "I was thinking I was a starter before and this is a good opportunity for me, and I tried to show the best I can," Simon said after his 20th career start. "Everything worked." Parra made 74 starts for the Brewers before switching to relief work in 2010. He retired all six batters he faced, pitching the ninth instead of J.J. Hoover, who gave up Ike Davis walkoff grand slam Saturday. Parra struck out Davis to end the Reds second win of the season then stood atop the mound for a moment before pounding his glove and walking toward catcher Brayan Pena. "Cant ask for any more for Simon and Manny Parra," Price said. Niese was nearly as effective in his debut, allowing six hits and two runs in 5 2-3 innings in front of dozens of dogs at Citi Field on Bark in the Park day. "I feel good, felt like the ball was coming out of my hand pretty well, obviously didnt have any pain," Niese said. The Mets, though, wasted an opportunity to complete a sweep ahead of a nine-game road trip that begins in Atlanta on Tuesday. The Mets finished their first homestand of the season 2-4. Simon took the mound in a game for the first time since March 24 but there was little rust. After an easy first for Simon, Davis slashed a sharp one-out grounder the opposite way down the third base line, a spot vacated by the pull shift, for a double. Davis scored on Juan Lagares single for a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Simon walked Niese and Eric Young Jr. doubled to left-centre with one out. But Daniel Murphy and David Wright struck out, starting a run of 10 in a row that ended when Simon hit Wright with a pitch. Simon started the Reds go-ahead rally in the sixth by lacing a line drive over Murphys head. Chris Heisey, in the lineup for Billy Hamilton, who has a jammed left middle finger, and Brandon Phillips each singled to load the bases. Votto followed with a sacrifice fly and Ludwick the tiebreaking hit, a single to left for a 2-1 lead. "The way he kept his sinker down and the fact he got a base hit, it was very exciting," Pena said of Simon. "He got us going." Jay Bruce grounded to first base, ending Nieses day on his 90th pitch. Gonzalez Germen relieved and pitched around Todd Frazier to face Zack Cosart with the bases loaded. Cosart grounded out to extend his hitless start to 0 for 18. Cosart then flew out to right field in the ninth. NOTES: Simon singled last season against Pittsburgh. ... Phillips has a hit in all 29 games hes played against the Mets in New York. ... Reds CF Billy Hamilton did not start for second straight day because of a jammed left middle finger. He thinks hell be able to play Monday at St. Louis. ... Mets INF Wilmer Flores was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for Niese. ... Mets manager Terry Collins said hes sticking to the plan to have Lucas Duda serve as starting first baseman. ... Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton pitched the second of back-to-back outings for Double-A Pensacola. He gave up a hit in a scoreless inning Saturday night. ... Price said C Devin Mesoraco (strained oblique) is set to meet the team in St. Louis. Authentic Chicago Bears Jerseys . He will be practicing with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. - @AnaheimDucks Corey Perry has a knee sprain and will miss the next three to four weeks. Wholesale Chicago Bears Jerseys . 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HOYLAKE, England -- Rory McIlroy looked as though he had just thrown a knockout punch at the British Open, and it was only Saturday. When he rolled in a 10-foot eagle putt on the final hole for a 4-under 68, he straightened his back, stared defiantly at thousands of fans crammed into the horseshoe arena around the 18th green at Royal Liverpool and lightly pumped his fist. He went from being tied for the lead to six shots ahead of Rickie Fowler in just over an hour. And suddenly, the biggest challenge facing the 25-year-old from Northern Ireland was reminding himself that he had one more round left. McIlroy cant afford to picture his name etched on the base of that silver claret jug. He cant think about what it will be like next April to drive down Magnolia Lane at Augusta National with a shot at becoming the sixth player to capture the career Grand Slam. "Im not taking anything for granted," McIlroy said. He knows that from experience, good and bad. He blew a four-shot lead at the Masters in 2011 and shot 80 in the final round. He had an eight-shot lead at the U.S. Open two months later and set two scoring records to win by eight. And just two months ago, McIlroy came from seven shots behind to win by seven. It looks like a lost cause for Fowler, Sergio Garcia and anyone else trying to chase down a guy who has won both his majors by eight shots. The six-shot lead was the largest at The Open since Tiger Woods led by six at St. Andrews in 2000. Even so, McIlroy was doing his best to preach caution. "A lot can happen," he said. "And Ive been on the right side of it and Ive been on the wrong side of it. You cant let yourself think forward. Youve just got to completely stay in the moment, and thats what Im going to try to do for all 18 holes tomorrow." History is on his side. No one has ever lost a six-shot lead in the 121 years that The Open has been contested over 72 holes. Boy Wonder would not seem to be a candidate. "What you have with him is hes just so explosive," Jim Furyk said after a 71 left him 10 shots behind. "He won the U.S. Open by eight shots. He obviously doesnt have any issue as the front-runner, and has no issue trying to extend that lead, much like Tiger used to." McIlroy was at 16-under 200. "If Im able to go out and get off to a good start, maybe I can put a little bit of pressure on him," Fowler said after a 68. "Because hes definitely in control of the golf tournament right now." Fowler tried to do his part on a cloudy Saturday withh occasional rain, but not nearly what the R&A expected when it went to a two-tee start of the first time in history.dddddddddddd. Fowler, who was six shots behind going into the third round, ran off three straight birdies to start the back nine and shared the lead when McIlroy made bogey on No. 12. It all changed so quickly. Fowler made a bogey on the 14th hole. McIlroy, playing in the group behind, drilled a 35-foot birdie putt that put his lead back to two shots. "Rickie was just getting close to me," McIlroy said. "I could hear the cheers in front of me. I just wanted to get ahead. To hole a putt like that was huge." And thats when he turned it on. McIlroy blasted a drive on the par-5 16th hole and hit 4-iron from 252 yards over a pot bunker to the left side of the green and made a 15-foot eagle putt. That restored his lead to five shots, for Fowler had driven into a pot bunker and made a bogey. Fowler recovered with a superb shot out of the pot bunker on the 18th to tap-in range for birdie. That put the American into the final group for the second straight major, both times a long way out of the lead. He trailed Martin Kaymer by five shots going into the last day of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. Fowler didnt get closer than four shots from Kaymer in the final round. Garcia, who played in final group with Woods at Royal Liverpool in 2006, certainly had his chances. He was only three shots behind at the turn until missing a short birdie putt on No. 12 and failing to convert so many other chances. Garcia had a 69 and was seven shots behind, along with Dustin Johnson (71). "Its going to be difficult," Garcia said. "But well give it a shot." David Hearn (71) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 31st at 2-under par. This was Rorys show, just like it was at Congressional, just like it was at Kiawah Island when he won the 2012 PGA Championship. And yet the biggest crowd belonged to Woods, the sports biggest star who is playing his first major since back surgery four months ago. Woods narrowly made the cut on Friday, opened with two straight birdies and that was about all the excitement. He made another double bogey, another triple bogey and shot 73. Woods was 19 shots out of the lead. The biggest challenge for McIlroy might be to avoid looking ahead. It was hard. Asked what it would mean to be one major away from a Grand Slam at 25, McIlroy said, "It would mean a lot of hype going into Augusta next year." "Id be in pretty illustrious company," he said. 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