MILWAUKEE – Friday's series opener vs. the Brewers marked the start of yet another opportunity before the Reds to build the momentum that has eluded them for most of 2024.

It's a stretch of 12 of the next 15 games against teams in postseason contention – including nine vs. National League Central rivals – and a chance to make up ground.

After scoring 32 runs in four games with three wins against the non-contending Marlins, Cincinnati's potential progress was met with a resounding thud during an 8-3 loss to Milwaukee at American Family Field.

“The way I look at it is, we’re chasing this team that we’re playing right now. These are big games to make up ground," said left fielder Spencer Steer, who was 2-for-3 with a leadoff homer in the seventh inning. "We’re getting close to the final stretch here. It’s definitely time to make a push and find a way to play some really good baseball, especially against teams like the Brewers who are ahead of us.”

But at 56-60, the Reds are 5 1/2 games back from an NL Wild Card spot and 10 1/2 games back in the division while in last place. Meanwhile, the NL Central-leading Brewers (66-49) – who were coming off a sweep of the Braves – have won four in a row while scoring 42 runs.

The Reds have won series against top contenders throughout this season – including the Yankees, Braves, Dodgers and Phillies. However, Milwaukee has been a frustrating nemesis, as they've lost five out of seven games so far in the season series. In 2023, Cincinnati dropped 10 of 13 games to the Brewers and were 6-13 against them in '22.

Including two this weekend, the Reds and Brewers have six more games against each other in 2024.

“Definitely seems like they have our number at the moment," Steer said. "They’re just a good team. They come to play every night. You really have to play good baseball to beat them. I wouldn’t say it goes really any deeper than that.”

Trouble found Reds starting pitcher Carson Spiers quickly. Back-to-back one-out walks in the first inning proved costly when Willy Adames hit a changeup over the middle for a two-out, three-run home run to right field.

"That’s really one that haunted me," Spiers said. "I should have probably expanded it a little bit more, being 1-2, and get it up and out of the zone where it’s still a competitive pitch but he could swing and miss rather than do what he did on that pitch.”

Three straight one-out hits in the second inning -- including Brice Turang's two-run homer to left-center field -- put the Reds in a 6-0 deficit.

After two more runs crossed against him in the third inning, Spiers was in damage-control mode to provide bullpen-saving innings. He was able to remain in for five innings – including escaping a bases-loaded jam in the fifth – while allowing eight earned runs, seven hits and four walks with seven strikeouts.

“If we had to go to the bullpen any earlier than we did, it wouldn’t have been a good situation for us the next couple of days," Reds manager David Bell said. "He did help a lot by finishing strong.”

Spiers, who had been mostly solid over his previous seven big league starts, saw his overall ERA jump nearly a full run from 3.59 ERA to 4.45.

“Give them credit. I think they have a pretty good lineup, top to bottom," Spiers said. "But I also had a pretty good gameplan going in. I’m confident in myself. This one stings.

"They swung the bat pretty well tonight. Going into the game, I didn’t look at the Atlanta series or anything and have any doubts about tonight. Their lineup put good swings on the ball and things worked out for them.”