CINCINNATI — Javier Valentin doesn't get many starts, so he tries not to waste them.

The Cincinnati catcher, starting for the first time in three weeks, homered in consecutive at-bats Friday night and Adam Dunn added his 40th of the season to send the Reds to a 9-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I went a couple of weeks between starts, but it's been that way all year," said Valentin, stuck in a three-man catching situation with Dan Ross and Jason LaRue. "Tonight was my night."

Kyle Lohse pitched seven strong innings and Ryan Freel hit a leadoff homer for the Reds, who had lost four of five and began the day 4Z\x games behind NL wild-card leader San Diego.

Valentin snapped a 1-1 tie with his seventh homer of the season, an opposite-field shot to left leading off the fourth inning. He followed in the sixth with a two-run line drive into the visitors' bullpen down the right-field line.

Valentin's home runs off Pirates starter Ian Snell were his first since his last start, against Pittsburgh on Aug. 18 in a 7-3 Pirates win. Snell also was the Pittsburgh starter in that game, but reliever Britt Reames allowed Valentin's homer.

Snell (12-10) has lost his last two starts after logging three wins and a no-decision in his previous four. He allowed seven hits and four runs with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings. He has allowed a team-high 28 home runs in 29 starts.