Francona: Time to 'dig deep' as Reds fade in Wild Card race

WEST SACRAMENTO – Manager Terry Francona picks his spots for when to address Reds players in the clubhouse after games. The last time it happened was on Aug. 27, after the Dodgers handed them their first series sweep this season.

While contending Cincinnati likely couldn't have dreamt the nightmare scenario that had the club being handed its second three-game sweep of the season by the non-contending, last-place A's, it actually happened. A 7-4 defeat on Sunday against the Athletics completed the sweep at Sutter Health Park.

After the game, Francona delivered another postgame message to the players.

“When it’s the hardest to believe, that’s when you’ve got to dig deep and believe in each other," Francona said.

"I just told them, ‘We don’t have to play perfect. We’ve just got to pick each other up and play baseball the way we know how.’ I still believe. I do. I believe we can go home on our terms. We’ve just got to play. It won’t be easy. It’s not supposed to be. Fortunately, we still have a chance.”

Unlike the previous two losses, this defeat put a bigger dent in the Reds' playoff hopes. The Mets (77-73) ended their eight-game losing streak with a win over the Rangers to knock Cincinnati (74-75) to 2 1/2 games out for the final National League Wild Card spot.

The Reds' slide also enabled two teams to get between them and the Mets. The Giants (75-74) are a game up on Cincinnati after losing to the Dodgers on Sunday. And now, the Diamondbacks (75-75) have also leapt ahead of them by a half-game by beating the Twins.

A three-city road trip opened with a Reds series win at San Diego. Now it moves on to St. Louis for the final three games.

“As a squad, I feel like if there’s still a breath, there’s still life," said left fielder Will Benson, who hit a two-run home run in the second to give the Reds a 3-0 lead. "Kind of like what Tito said, we have a great opportunity these next two weeks to make something really happen for ourselves and go out on our terms.”

The Reds had a chance to build on their early lead, but they came up scoreless in the fourth inning after a leadoff triple by Gavin Lux and having the bases loaded with two outs.

The offense – namely a lack of power – has exposed the Reds to losses throughout the season. The A's – fourth in the Major Leagues with 211 homers – slugged 10 of them in the series compared to five by Cincinnati, which is tied for 22nd with 151.

The A's have five hitters with more homers than Reds leader Elly De La Cruz, who has 19 for the season and just one in his past 70 games. Four A's homers were hit on Sunday – including three against Reds starter Nick Lodolo.

"It kind of changed the complexion of the game. We just couldn’t keep it in the ballpark," Francona said.

Lodolo, who retired nine of his first 10 batters, surrendered a pair of solo homers in the fourth inning – a leadoff drive to left field by Jacob Wilson and a two-out drive to left-center by Colby Thomas. A two-run homer to left field in the fifth by the only A's lefty in the lineup, Nick Kurtz, provided the go-ahead score.

Lodolo allowed an RBI double to Brett Harris in the sixth and exited the game. He finished with five runs and eight hits allowed over 5 1/3 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts.

Brent Rooker's two-out, two-run homer off Zach Maxwell in the seventh inning doomed the Reds to the sweep and the brief meeting with Francona.

“It was definitely to the point," Benson said. "He understands the pulse of the team and what we need to hear."

It was the 39th time this season that the Reds lost a game in which they led – which is tied for fifth most in MLB. Strikingly, it's the 10th time it has happened since Aug. 20.

Since that date, the Reds are 7-15.

Francona doesn't rehearse his talks or have something prepared for any and every situation.

"Believe me, if I had a pat answer, we’d probably lose less," Francona said before the game. "This is going to sound silly, but I try to never say the wrong thing.

“I just feel like if you’re pulling in the same direction – and I know they are – we’ll do it together. When we struggle, we’ll do it together. It’s not us when we win and them when we lose. … Through a little bit of the miraculous, we’re in this thing so when you lose, it kind of rips your heart out."