By John Fay - Cincinnati News Enquirer Staff
The Reds ended their 10-game homestand in practically the same position they started it.
Thursday's 6-1 loss to St. Louis leaves the Reds 3½ games behind the Cardinals in the National League Central Division, which is where they were when the homestand started.
The Reds departed for Philadelphia with a half-game lead over Arizona and San Diego in the NL wild card - a half-game worse than when the homestand started.
Reds players viewed the St. Louis series and homestand as opportunities lost, but that view must be tempered by the fact that it's Aug. 11 and the team's still firmly in the playoff chase.
"Any time you have four against a team like that," pitcher Bronson Arroyo said, "it would have been nice to go 3-1. But a split obviously keeps us where we were. We didn't lose any ground."
That's the way it goes for the Reds. They've been second in the NL Central every day but one since May 12. They were tied for first for about 24 hours June 7. And they've led the NL wild card every day since July 14.
They refuse to fade away - or take control of their destiny.
Reds manager Jerry Narron expects more of the same over the final 47 games.
"I think it's going to go down to the end of the year, or it should," he said. "We've just got to keep grinding it out. If we play the game the right way, it will take care of itself."
The Reds go to Philly for three games, then after Monday's off day, they play their final three games against St. Louis this season. The Phillies are three games behind the Reds in the wild card.
"They've got one of the most talented teams in baseball," Narron said. "They might be playing their best baseball right now.
"It's not going to be easy anywhere down the line."
He has a point. Over the next 21 games - other than three with Pittsburgh at home Aug. 18-20 - the Reds play contenders, or at least what passes for a contender in the pool of mediocrity that is the National League.
You have one good team, the New York Mets, a few teams out of it, and a huge pack of teams fighting for the other three playoff spots.
The Cardinals (62-52) and the Reds (59-56) had the second- and third-best records in the league, pending the outcome of the Dodgers' late game.
"We're so evenly matched," Adam Dunn said. "We're 3½ back. That's one good week. It's too early to scoreboard watch. We've got to worry about ourselves."
But again, Thursday has to be viewed as an opportunity lost. A win would have put the Reds 1½ games behind the Cards.
Cincinnati was never really in the game.
Arroyo gave up an unearned run in the first and a solo home run to Jim Edmonds in the third.
The offense, meanwhile, managed only two singles off Anthony Reyes, who came in 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA, through four innings.
When Arroyo gave up two more home runs - a leadoff shot to Chris Duncan and a two-run shot to Scott Spiezio - the cause was lost.
"When a guy is throwing as well as Reyes was, you can't get behind 5-0," Arroyo said. "You can't come back every night like we did (Wednesday)."
They didn't come close to stirring up that kind of drama.
Thus, a so-so loss ended a so-so 4-6 homestand.
The saving grace was the two games the Reds won against the Cardinals, two of their best games of the year.
"I've been pleased with the effort," Narron said. "I know we'd like to have had a better record on this homestand. But we've had some outstanding games here.
"It should be exciting the rest of the way."
