OAKLAND -- The Reds were perhaps a timely hit away from partying like it was 1990, having won their first two games against the A's as they went for the weekend sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Instead, the A's flipped the script and worked some late-inning magic of their own, leaving the Reds to endure a 5-4 walk-off loss that snapped their season-high winning streak at five games.
Though Cincinnati wasn't able to complete the sweep, the team secured its first series win on the road this season. As the calendar flips to May, the Reds are encouraged by their start to 2023 -- especially when compared with '22.
"Win streaks are obviously great," Kevin Newman said. "But at the end of the day, taking two out of three is really the name of the game."
One year ago, the Reds ended April with just three wins to their name and didn't earn their 12th win of the season until May 22.
Cincinnati's winning streak may be no more, but the weekend series in Oakland highlighted three keys to their success going forward:
Keep the line moving
One phrase was repeatedly uttered in the visiting clubhouse at the Coliseum: "Next man up."
That's how Jake Fraley termed the team's mentality after Saturday's down-to-the-wire 3-2 win, and it nearly came through again for the Reds on Sunday. Cincinnati dropped a three-spot in the sixth inning on the power of small ball, which was punctuated by a two-run single off the bat of Newman.
Manager David Bell had begun to empty his bench at that point, but he didn't pinch-hit for Newman, even though Jonathan India had not yet entered the game. The A's intentionally walked Fraley in order to face Newman, who followed in his teammates' footsteps and didn't try to do too much.
"Walking the guy in front of you gives you a little extra chip on your shoulder," Newman said, "so I tried to take that little bit of extra confidence up there and try to get the job done for the boys."
Threats on the basepaths
The Reds are far from a power threat -- their .365 slugging percentage ranks second lowest in the National League -- but they make up for it by grabbing every extra base they can.
Bell likes his team's high-risk, high-reward approach on the basepaths, but he acknowledged that it can be difficult to strike the balance between being aggressive and staying in control. There was a little of both on display in Oakland.
The Reds showcased heads-up baserunning instincts throughout the weekend, taking advantage of several A's fielding miscues and going first-to-third when possible, which set the stage for Newman to drive in the then-go-ahead run in the sixth on Sunday.
But the Reds also ran themselves out of some innings. That was the case in the top of the seventh, when India and Henry Ramos attempted a double steal with one out. India was caught stealing at third base, a call that was upheld upon review. When all was said and done, Cincinnati still had a runner in scoring position but with one fewer out, which ultimately killed what could have been another rally.
"You have to be fearless, you have to be aggressive, you have to be on the attack," Bell said prior to Sunday's tilt. "You cannot be afraid to make mistakes. … For me, the go-to is always preparing ahead of time. If something doesn't work out, learning what you could have done different and then moving forward with the same aggressive attitude."
Find consistency in the 'pen
The bullpen was somewhat of a mixed bag over the course of the weekend series. On the one hand, the relief corps held Oakland scoreless in a one-run game on Saturday, keeping Cincinnati in position for a comeback win.
On the other, Reds relievers weren't able to hold onto the team's slim lead on Sunday.
After tossing a 1-2-3 frame in the eighth inning, Derek Law came back out for the ninth but could not retire Oakland's eight- and nine-hole hitters. Alexis Díaz entered to face Esteury Ruiz, who swatted the game-winning hit into left field after both runners had advanced on a wild pitch.
"He's a good hitter; he got the hit to win the game," Bell said. "With where we were in the order, we wanted to attack it right there with Alexis on the mound. ... I felt like that was the best chance we had to win the game."