ARLINGTON, Texas — The Reds definitely would have taken a 3-3 road trip, especially one that started 1-3. They nearly got it.

Alex Rodriguez slides home ahead of Corky Miller's tag in the eighth inning. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        But the bullpen — specifically Scott Sullivan and Danny Graves — blew up, allowing seven runs in the eighth inning as the Reds fell to the Texas Rangers 10-4 Wednesday before 29,891 at The Ballpark in Arlington.

        The inning equaled the biggest against the Reds this year. The loss is probably first runner-up to a 10-8 loss to St.Louis as the worst of the year. The Reds blew an 8-0 lead in that one.

        “It was one of those nights,” Graves said. “I thought I was throwing good pitches. But everything I threw up there, they whaled on. I couldn't get them to hit it at anybody.”

        It might not have helped. The Reds made three errors, leading to three unearned runs.

        The Reds looked like they still might wrap it up as a nice 4-3 victory to end the road trip. It looked like Chris Reitsma's pitching (6 2/3innings, two earned runs) and Reggie Taylor's hitting (three-run homer) would be enough for the win.

        But the bullpen blew a save for the seventh times in 27 chances this year.

Reggie Taylor watches his three-run HR in the second inning. | ZOOM |

        Despite the loss, the first-place Reds remained one game ahead of St.Louis in the National League Central. Seattle right-hander Joel Pineiro did the Reds a favor, tossing a five-hitter in the Mariners' 5-0 win over the Cardinals.

        Since the Reds went 10 games over .500 for the first time this season on May 16, they are 11-13.

        The Reds faced right-hander Chan Ho Park, a free-agent pitcher the Rangers signed and are paying $6.8 million this year. Park went six innings, allowing four runs on three hits, and actually lowered his ERA from 10.96 to 10.02.

        Reitsma, who the Reds pay $252,000, was better.

        The four runs Cincinnati scored are what Reitsma can expect. The Reds have averaged 4.23 runs in his 13 starts.

        “The baseball gods aren't on his side,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “It will even out.”

        Said Reitsma: “I can't wait for that.”

        Reitsma allowed an unearned run in the first, thanks to an error by third baseman Russell Branyan on his first chance in the field as a Red. Juan Gonzalez made the error hurt by lining an RBI double down the third-base line to make it 1-0.

Todd Walker makes a diving stop. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        The Reds took the lead in the second. Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns started the inning with walks before Park struck out Branyan and got Corky Miller to line out.

        Taylor worked the count full, then launched a fly ball just right of dead center. It went up halfway up the grass behind center field for a 421-foot home run, giving the Reds a 3-1 lead.

        It was the first time the Reds had given Reitsma a lead since his May 21 start. The three runs were as many as the Reds scored in Reitsma's last two starts combined.

        The Reds made it 4-1 in the fourth by playing small ball.

        Miller dropped a single in front of Rangers center fielder Ryan Ludwick and Taylor got Miller to second with a sacrifice bunt. Miller went to third on a wild pitch that nearly hit Castro in the head. Castro then got Miller home with a perfectly executed suicide-squeeze bunt.

        Texas got a run back in its half of the fourth. Gonzalez led off with his second double. Two groundouts got him home to make it 4-2.

        Other than facing Gonzalez, Reitsma was rolling. Through six innings, in fact, Gonzalez was the only Ranger to hit the ball out of the infield against Reitsma.

        The Rangers made it a one-run game in the seventh. Rafael Palmeiro led off with a double. Reitsma got the next two outs, then walked Ludwick. The No.9 hitter, Michael Young, lofted a fly ball to center, which dropped in front of Taylor. The slow-footed Palmiero was able to score from second.

        “I thought it was an out when he hit it,” Reitsma said. “But it's hard to tell. The wind is blowing in the pitcher's face. It was in no man's land.”

        That ended Reitsma's night. Left-hander Gabe White came in to pitch to Mike Lamb, but Texas countered by pinch-hitting with Todd Greene. White struck out Greene on three pitches, ending the inning.

        Sullivan, who allowed three runs in 1 1/3innings in his last outing, started the eighth. He got an out, then walked Alex Rodriguez and Gonzalez.

        “He was facing two pretty good hitters there,” Boone said. “He was being careful, trying to avoid the home run.”

        Palmeiro followed with a single that scored Rodriguez. Both runners moved up a base when Reds right fielder Juan Encarnacion's throw went past Miller for an error.

        That was it for Sullivan. Graves came on and allowed a two-run single to Kevin Mench. After an error by Reds shortstop Juan Castro, Young hit a three-run triple and the Rangers rolled to a seven-run eighth.

Rangers 10, Reds 4 Reds box, runs Rose to tour new Reds park Best hitting advice for Branyan? None at all Reds Notebook: Maybe Friday for Griffey A-Rod ran through stop sign to start rally Mariners 5, Cardinals 0 Angels 8, Pirates 5

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