(Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

The Cincinnati Reds were gaining ground in the National League wild-card race until they hit speed bumps on their just-concluded road trip.

Cincinnati went 3-6 and lost six times in the final seven games, including all three during their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers to begin the week. The Reds will try to regain traction as they return home to face the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday in the opener of a three-game set.

Cincinnati sits four games back of the New York Mets for the final NL wild-card slot.

'I just told our guys we can choose to make the next five weeks like the best five baseball weeks of our life,' Reds manager Terry Francona said. 'But we're going to have to remember everything we've talked about from Day 1 and learn from things that happen and then move on. And hopefully get a little rest (Thursday) and come back ready to go.

'Because we've got to get after it.'

The Reds had pushed their record to 67-60 before experiencing their downturn. Their road swing ended with a 5-1 loss that saw them strike out a season-high 19 times against the Dodgers.

'This is a really resilient group, a lot of grit,' Reds designated hitter Gavin Lux said. 'We're going to use that off day (Thursday) and reset and come back ready to play against the Cardinals on Friday.'

The Reds will start Zack Littell (9-8, 3.62 ERA), who is 1-0 with a 3.92 ERA in four starts since arriving from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade ahead of the deadline.

Littell retired just nine batters while throwing 77 pitches in his latest start, an Aug. 22 game the Reds eventually lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in 11 innings.

The right-hander is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA in nine career appearances against the Cardinals, including one start.

The Cardinals have also been spinning their wheels in the wild-card race. They had lost four of five games before defeating the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Thursday afternoon to earn a split of the four-game series.

St Louis will open the series with left-hander Matthew Liberatore (6-11, 4.27 ERA), who has completed five innings in just one of his past seven starts. He is 0-5 with a 6.21 ERA during that span, and he hasn't won a game since June 29.

On May 1, Liberatore took a 9-1 loss to the Reds while allowing two runs on two hits -- including a Jose Trevino homer -- in three innings. Trevino is 5-for-14 (.357) against the Cardinals this season with two homers and four RBIs.

In his career vs. Cincinnati, Liberatore is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA in eight appearances, including one start.

Liberatore will hope from some offensive support from Thomas Saggese. With third baseman Nolan Arenado and second baseman Brendan Donovan on the injured list, the rookie infielder has been making the most of his playing time.

He went 4-for-12 with two walks and two RBIs in the Pirates series, and he hit the go-ahead double in the second inning of the finale.

'(On Wednesday) he was patient, took his walks. (On Thursday) he swung the bat really well,' Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 'That's the progression you're hoping for. He continues to shrink the strike zone and make better decisions and ger rewarded for it.'

--Field Level Media