CINCINNATI _ There were times early and late and often in the game when the Cardinals' lineup could have provided the runs that would have masked the bullpen or, at least, given the bullpen more to work with on the scoreboard.
The bases loaded in the first inning yielded no runs. The bases loaded in the eighth yielded no runs. Twice, Harrison Bader came to the plate with a runner at third base and fewer than two outs and each time he struck out.
The runner didn't budge.
Perhaps any one of those opportunities would have made the game look different as the bullpen got involved. Or, maybe not.
In relief of starter Jack Flaherty after the fifth inning, a series of Cardinals' relievers allowed four runs and turned what could have been a tightly contested game at Great American Ball Park into a walk for the host Reds. Cincinnati won, 7-3, and took the three-game series from the Cardinals to nudge them further down the standings.
In this pivotal stretch of 11 games to determine what direction the team will head come August, the Cardinals are now 3-5.
They must sweep the coming three-game series vs. the Cubs just to have a winning record in the first 12 games under interim manager Mike Shildt's guidance. The loss Wednesday afternoon sent the Cardinals (51-51) home for an off day trailing by 8{ games in the National League Central. They are closer to the Reds (14{ back) than they are the first-place Cubs, who beat Arizona, 2-1, on Wednesday.
Flaherty allowed three runs through five innings and three runs came via home run. Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run shot in the fifth inning, and Adam Duvall had a solo homer in the fourth inning.
In the sixth, Tucker Barnhart hit a two-run homer off Cardinals reliever John Gant, and in the eighth, Reds right fielder Phillip Ervin connected for a two-run double against Luke Gregerson.
The Cardinals got solo homers from Paul DeJong and Yadier Molina. Molina's shot in the seventh tied him with Bill White for 14th on the Cardinals' all-time leaderboard with 140 career homers.
Molina had three hits in his first four at-bats, but with two outs in the eighth inning and the Cardinals trailing 5-3, he flied out to right with the bases loaded.
In the first inning, Dexter Fowler grounded out to end a bases-loaded threat.
