CINCINNATI -- Here the Reds were again, with the score tied in the late innings and the game riding on the shoulders of an overworked bullpen that's recently seen very little in the way of success and more than an average share of disappointment.

But in Cincinnati's 4-3 win over the Padres on Tuesday night, it was different.

This time, Reds relievers looked more like the bullpen that ranks among the best in the National League and less like the group that's been thinned out by injury and cost Cincinnati three times already through the first five games of the current homestand.

"Guys just came out and have been stepping up since Jared [Burton] was hurt," said reliever Gary Majewski, who took the win after Jeff Keppinger's walk-off RBI double in the 11th. "Everybody has a ton of confidence. Regardless of who comes in, we put up zeros and get the job done. That's what you have to do. You've got to be a tight-knit 'pen and pick everybody up, regardless of what happens."

Johnny Cueto struck out 10 and was solid for the Reds, but left the game after the sixth, giving up three runs. By the time the inning was over, he'd already thrown a career-high 120 pitches.

Though Cueto lobbied to go back out for the seventh, Reds manager Dusty Baker opted to go with his bullpen, which had blown two saves and lost a game in the 10th over the previous five games.

"Johnny threw a lot of pitches -- more than we really wanted him to -- but we kind of had to tonight because my bullpen was strapped," Baker said. "Guys came out of the bullpen and did a great job. We held them after that three-run inning of Johnny's. That was a win we really, really needed."

Reds closer Francisco Cordero gave up four runs in a blown save Thursday and three runs in a blown save Monday. Sandwiched in between was a 10th-inning loss Sunday, when Bill Bray put runners on the corners before a throwing error cost Cincinnati the game.

After pulling to within three games of .500, bullpen blunders had knocked Cincinnati off track. And to make things worse, Burton, the setup man, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday.

"It's the second time this homestand we've had to bounce back after a tough loss," said Baker. "It shows you the resiliency of this team, what these guys are made of and their ability to forget yesterday. A lot of times, you lose a tough game and it stays with you for a couple days."

This time, though, it'll be the Padres who will be kicking themselves.

Veteran starter Jake Peavy dominated the Reds for five innings when he kept hitters off balance and allowed just one baserunner to advance into scoring position. He didn't slip up until the sixth, but even then, all Cincinnati managed was a tie.

Ken Griffey Jr. drew a leadoff walk and Brandon Phillips singled before Adam Dunn reached on a fielder's choice. With runners on the corners and one out, Javier Valentin flied out to shallow center, keeping Griffey from tagging up.

Edwin Encarnacion walked to load the bases before Paul Bako, who had struck out twice in the game, laced a two-run double up the middle to pull Cincinnati within one. Joey Votto's pinch-hit single into left in the next at-bat plated Encarnacion to tie the game at 3.

Jeremy Affeldt (seventh inning), Mike Lincoln (eighth and ninth), Bray (10th) and Majewski (11th) -- all pitching for at least the third time in the past four days -- kept the Padres scoreless for the remainder of the contest.

"We pick each other up and know our roles," Majewski said. "We just know. Everybody's confident and relaxed. Regardless of if the starter goes two innings, seven, eight or a complete game, we're always ready. We know we're going to give it the best we've got. We've got a ton of confidence."

The momentum carried the Reds all the way to the bottom of the 11th. After Jay Bruce knocked a one-out single to left, the game belonged to Keppinger. Already 0-for-5 in the contest, Keppinger battled Padres reliever Bryan Corey to a full count before sitting on a 3-2 changeup and driving in the winning run.

"I'm not going to lie, [being 0-for-5] definitely crossed my mind," Keppinger said. "I knew he didn't want to walk me and was going to throw a strike right there. He didn't want to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. I put some pretty big swings on the other pitches, so I figured he'd throw something offspeed right there, and he did."