CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds played a combined 16 innings of baseball against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Sunday, leaving their bullpen sapped.

So, when an eight-run lead nearly evaporated on Monday night, manager Bryan Price needed a savior out of the ‘pen, or two.

Center fielder Billy Hamilton reached base four times, recorded four steals to reach 40 for the season, and scored three times, sparking Cincinnati to an 11-7 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Great American Ball Park.

But, the true heroes for the Reds were relievers Nate Adcock and Manny Parra, who combined for five hitless innings, helping set up a perfect ninth for closer Aroldis Chapman staving off the Twins' rally.

"Those guys really performed above and beyond expectations," Price said. "We were starting to get that feeling that this one might slip away. Adcock and Parra came up so big in this game. They really saved us."

Adcock (1-0) earned his first National League win, and first since 2011 which also came against the Twins.

"The thought going in was that they would need multiple innings from me, for sure," Adcock said. "I threw some really good sliders today, some good changeups. I was pleased."

Second baseman Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer for Minnesota (40-36), which trailed 9-1 after three innings but scored six times in the fourth to get within two.

But the Twins couldn't complete the comeback.

"We made a nice little rally there against Leake, tried to make it interesting," manager Paul Molitor said. "The offense sputtered from there. It wasn't much fun to watch."

Twins starter Mike Pelfrey (5-5) lasted just two-plus innings and allowed eight earned runs to take the loss.

"Your goal is to attack, attack, attack," Pelfrey said. "I got away from that. I got away from a lot of things that made me successful to date. I got my butt kicked."

The Reds added some insurance runs on a perfectly placed suicide squeeze bunt by shortstop Eugenio Suarez in the sixth and right fielder Jay Bruce's RBI double in the seventh.

Suarez went 3-for-5 with three RBIs for Cincinnati, which tied a season high for a nine-inning game with 17 hits.

Catcher Tucker Barnhart had a career-high four hits and two RBIs for Cincinnati (35-40) to snap a three-game losing streak.

"He's hit a lot of balls back through the middle from both sides of the plate," said Price of Barnhart. "That says a lot about his approach. He's extremely confident right now."

Hamilton was a thorn in Minnesota's side Monday night, recording his eighth multi-stolen base game of the season. He had a bunt single, two walks, three stolen bases, and scored three runs in the first three innings.

"Obviously his speed is a game-changer," said Pelfrey.

Second baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr. had a pair of RBI hits. Suarez's two-run double in the third put the Reds ahead 7-1. Later in the third, the Reds loaded the bases against right-hander Alex Meyer, and first baseman Joey Votto drove home two more runs with a long single.

However, Minnesota roared back with a six-run fourth, highlighted by Dozier's three-run blast on an 0-2 pitch from Mike Leake, trimming Cincinnati's lead to 9-7. It was Dozier's 16th homer of the season.

"It was a high fastball, not where I wanted it," Leake said.

Despite being staked to an eight-run lead, Leake was gone after four innings, having allowed seven runs and nine hits.

It's the most runs allowed by Leake since he gave up nine on May 15 against San Francisco.

"I did get a little bored (with the big lead), but it's not an excuse," said Leake. "I just elevated some balls that they took advantage of."

NOTES: Reds 3B Todd Frazier extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single in the first. ... Twins RF Torii Hunter made his first career appearance at Great American Ball Park, the last current ballpark he had yet to play in. ... Minnesota is playing at Great American for the first time since 2012, when it took two of three. Just five current Twins players appeared in that series. ... Reds C Devin Mesoraco had season-ending surgery Monday to repair a left hip impingement. He won't begin full activity until Jan. 1. ... Cincinnati RHP Raisel Iglesias will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Louisville. He went on the disabled list June 5 with a strained left oblique. He is expected to make two or three starts to reach the desired 90 pitches. ... Reds LHP Tony Cingrani, on the DL since June 15 with a strained left shoulder, will begin a Triple-A rehab stint Saturday.