Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2010 ) Cincinnati 9, Pittsburgh 4

The Cincinnati Reds couldn’t wait to get out of Coors Field.

After getting swept by the Colorado Rockies and watching their National League Central Division lead slip to five games, the Reds hope to get on track when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first of a three-game series at the Great American Ballpark.

Cincinnati has lost five straight games overall, the last three at Coors Field. The Reds blew a 5-0 lead in the series finale on Thursday, eventually losing to the Rockies 6-5.

Thursday’s loss was agonizing. Troy Tulowitzki tied the game in the eighth inning on a solo home run and then Colorado scored the game-winner when Chris Nelson stole home later in the inning.

The game-winner came off Nick Masset, who had not allowed a run in his last 15 appearances.

Masset’s blunder was more mental than performance-based. With runners on the corners Masset put his head down and stepped off the mound. In the ensuing confusion Masset whirled and threw to second base and Nelson scored without a throw.

Masset took full responsibility but the entire Reds team is accountable for blowing a five-run lead.

Cincinnati also no longer has the best record in the NL. Thursday’s loss now put Cincinnati behind Philadelphia, Atlanta and San Diego. If the season was over the Reds would face the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs.

But they’ll have to get there first.

Help could be on the way for Cincinnati, which has a magic number of 19 to earn a playoff berth. Jay Bruce has taken batting practice for the past two games and reported he felt good. Bruce could be back in the lineup Friday. Reds manager Dusty Baker said the team would add another outfielder for the series.

Orlando Cabrera, however, who recently came off the disabled list after complaining of a strained left oblique, missed Thursday’s game and is likely to miss at least one more.

Homer Bailey (3-3) starts the important series opener. Bailey took a 4-2 loss at St. Louis which started the five-game slide. He is a perfect 5-0 against the Pirates including a four-hit shutout in his last appearance against the Bucs in early May.

The Reds have won four of the last five games in which Bailey has started.

The Pirates will go with Pat Maholm (7-14) who is 6-4 lifetime against the Reds. Maholm beat Cincinnati 7-6 earlier in the season allowing nine hits and four runs in six innings.

The Reds have won eight of their last nine games at home, including four straight.