Dmitri Young shouts encouragement during the Reds' 11-run loss. (Michael E. Keating photos) | ZOOM |

        As dreadful as the past two months have been for the Reds, they could take solace in knowing they weren't a last-place team. Bad, yes. Worst, no. Their comfort zone evaporated Wednesday in a 14-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

        Cincinnati (32-51) now occupies the bottom spot in the six-team National League Central Division, a half-game behind Pittsburgh (32-50), and owns the NL's worst record.

        “At this point, we can't worry about where we are in the standings,” reliever Danny Graves said. “If we're not in first place, who cares where we are? I just think we need to find a way to win, and that's the bottom line, whether it's 1-0 or we kick somebody's (butt).”

        A victory in today's series finale would vault the Reds back into fifth place, but they realize they need more than that to shake the malaise caused by five losses in their last six games, including four in a row.

Rookie pitcher Brian Reith was sent back to Chattanooga after the game. | ZOOM |

        This was the gist of a postgame, players-only meeting that lasted nearly 20 minutes. Though players divulged nothing publicly about the meeting, witnesses said the criticism was mostly constructive, with first baseman Sean Casey, right-hander Pete Harnisch and left fielder Dmitri Young doing much of the talking.

        “I think guys are looking forward to the All-Star break right now, to tell you the truth, so that we can try to finish strong and build on something going into the second half,” Casey said. “It hasn't been a good first half for us. It's been pretty ugly. We're going to try to build on the positives that we've been able to take out of it. And we have to look pretty hard for those.”

        None was evident in this game, which rain delayed for 90 minutes before the start. The Reds yielded 19 hits and grounded into four double plays, both season highs. They matched season highs — or worsts, depending on your perspective — in runs allowed and home runs (five) surrendered. Moeller High School graduate Adam Hyzdu hit two of those homers, giving him four in just 14 at-bats this year.

        Also, the 11-run margin of defeat was the Reds' largest this season.

Moeller High grad Adam Hyzdu homered twice. | ZOOM |

        One ugly number that wasn't high was the paid attendance of 17,972, the third-lowest of the year at Cinergy Field.

        Casey ranked the loss as among the “top two” on Cincinnati's growing list of putrid setbacks.

        “I don't know what's Number1, but it's definitely one of two,” Casey said. “It's not fun. It's not fun losing. The feeling's not fun, and we're going to try to correct that feeling hopefully soon.”

        Said manager Bob Boone: “It's the worst shellacking we've taken. We've probably played worse. I don't know if we've pitched worse.”

        Though reliever Frankie Rodriguez surrendered six runs in the eighth inning, starter Brian Reith (0-7) bore the brunt of the Pirates' abuse. The right-hander allowed six runs and seven hits and walked four in 3 2/3 innings, giving Pittsburgh immediate control. After posting a 3.38 ERA in his first three outings, Reith, one of four rookies in Cincinnati's starting rotation, compiled a 10.73 ERA in his next six.

Brady Clark is greeted after his two-run HR. | ZOOM |

        This left Reds management with no choice but to option Reith to Double-A Chattanooga, where he began the season. Utility player Wilton Guerrero, who entered Wednesday batting .304 for Triple-A Louisville, will replace Reith on the major-league squad. The Reds don't have to recall a pitcher soon, because next week's All-Star break eliminates the need for a fifth starter until July 16.

        “It's in there,” Boone said, referring to Reith's talent. “But you could see him struggling to put the ball where he wanted. And when you don't do that at this level, you get whacked. ... He wasn't doing the job here. But when you have young kids coming out of Double-A, I don't know if you can expect them to.”

        For Reith and the Reds, matters can only improve. That's part of what sinking to last place means.

        “We have a lot of young guys out there learning, giving it everything they have,” Graves said. “It's almost sad that they have to learn this way. But you have to learn somehow and hope that one of these days it turns around.”

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