Mark Wohlers reacts after giving up back-to-back homers in the eighth. (Gary Landers photos) | ZOOM |

        Reds manager Bob Boone welcomed Double-A right-hander Brian Reith's major-league debut tonight by saying, “He'll give us a little glimpse into the future.”

        That's nice, because the present looks pretty dismal for the Reds. Moreover, after their 5-1 loss Tuesday night to the Arizona Diamondbacks, it's officially worse than the immediate past, which was universally condemned.

        The Reds' 11th loss in 13 games dropped them to 17-21, 5 1/2 games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. As dreadful as everybody seemed to think last year was, it's worth noting that Cincinnati never fell four games below .500 all season.

        Somewhere, Jack McKeon's laughing.

        But Boone, who's stuck with McKeon's old job, isn't. Eschewing the suggestion of a team meeting, he publicly issued a polite but firm challenge to his players.

        “They've got to hit their way out of it,” Boone said. “It's like punching your way out of a wet paper bag. If you can't punch your way out of a wet paper bag, you're not going to do much. Each individual has to reach down and figure out what's going on. There's not a lot of talking that's going to get done. You have to talk with your bats.”

Ex-Red Reggie Sanders hits his 12th HR. | ZOOM |

        Recently, the Reds' offense has been mute. They're hitting .231 during their 13-game skid, compared with .293 beforehand. Their average of 3.2 runs a game in this stretch — contrasting with 5.3 before it — mocks their league-record consecutive-games scoring streak, which reached 201 only because Kelly Stinnett homered in Tuesday's third inning.

        Cincinnati left one runner on base — reflecting not its efficiency at sending runners home but its failure to sustain any real offense.

        “We know that this isn't real, that there's some tough luck going against us,” said Boone, noting that Cincinnati ranked second in the NL in hitting before its slump be gan. “But each guy has to look at himself. You certainly can't say, "Gee, I didn't swing well because Ken Griffey Jr.'s not on the team.'”

        Officially, the Reds lost this one when Arizona broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the eighth inning. Mark Grace and former Red Reggie Sanders fueled that rally with back-to-back homers off reliever Mark Wohlers (1-1), who said pitching coach Don Gullett noticed a mechanical flaw in his delivery.

        “I didn't feel like I was out of whack mechanically; I felt good physically,” Wohlers said. “You can throw the ball 150 (mph), but if you put it in the right place, they're going to hit it. You have to hit your locations and change speeds, and I didn't do that.”

Mark Womack steals second as Kelly Stinnett's throw sails past Barry Larkin. | ZOOM |

        Wohlers' lapse obscured starter Elmer Dessens' six admirable innings, which featured a career-high eight strikeouts. The right-hander allowed seven hits, but the Diamondbacks went 1-for-10 against him with runners in scoring position. It was Dessens' best outing since he limited Pittsburgh to one run in seven innings in his first start of the season April 5.

        That provided some hope, which Wohlers said he and his teammates must cling to in coming days.

        “One thing to be somewhat upbeat about is that as horribly as we've been playing, one good week (from the Reds) and one bad week from the (division-leading) team and we're right back in it,” he said. “We're professionals getting paid a hell of a lot of money to win and bust our butts. I don't see anyone not going out and giving it their all. Sooner or later that ball's going to have to drop, or a line drive that one of us (allows) is going to get caught — one fluke, weird, lucky thing that will get us back on track.”

D'Backs 5, Reds 1 Boone to miss 3 to 4 weeks SULLIVAN: Wanna see Griffey? Go to BP Players, Bowden dispute fairness of offers Everything will be new to Reith

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