CINCINNATI -- Before last week, the Reds had their fair share of subpar games and disappointing losses, but the stakes are much higher now, and each loss carries deeper ramifications.

The bats missed early chances to support starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, who delivered seven innings and pitched more than well enough to stay in the National League Cy Young Award race. But two solo home runs in the fifth inning did him in, and the White Sox added three straight long balls against Robert Stephenson to open the eighth to send Cincinnati to a 5-0 defeat on Saturday at Great American Ball Park.

• Box score

“Trevor pitched good. He’s against a really tough lineup. He did his part. There’s no doubt,” manager David Bell said. “We weren’t able [to] get some runs for him early. But they had five solo homers. That was the difference in the game. I know Trevor wants to be perfect. It’s not going to happen all of the time. Other than those two pitches, he was really outstanding.”

The loss snapped Cincinnati’s season-long winning streak at six games and put them back under .500 (26-27) with seven games to go. But it stings a little more knowing that the Cardinals and Brewers won their games on Saturday. St. Louis (25-24) is now one game up for second place in the NL Central -- an automatic playoff berth -- and the Reds are tied for third with the Brewers (25-26). Cincinnati and Milwaukee are also tied for the final NL Wild Card spot.

• Postseason seedings

“No, it makes [it] easier,” Bauer said sarcastically about the loss being harder. “I’m sorry if I’m a little snappy, but that’s … Yeah, it sucks. I [really] hate losing, especially in these situations.”

Over the first three innings against White Sox lefty Dallas Keuchel, the Reds went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. Bauer gave up two earned runs on five hits in his seven innings, with one walk and five strikeouts. He opened the game by striking out the side but did not notch his fourth strikeout until the final out of the fourth inning.

Opening the top of the fifth, Nomar Mazara connected on a 1-1 pitch for his first homer of the season -- a deep drive to right field. Two batters later, Tim Anderson hit the first of his two home runs in the game with a booming drive to center field. It was the ninth homer allowed this season by Bauer, but the first by a right-handed batter.

“I thought I threw the ball well,” Bauer said. “Both home runs were right where I wanted to throw it. I thought I had good command all night. I’ve given up two earned runs this year on non-homers, so it’s basically what it is. You can hit some solo homers off of me, you can score, if not, you can’t. They were able to get two of them tonight.”

After Anderson rounded the bases, Bauer retired his final eight batters in a row.

“I thought my stuff overall was good tonight,” he said. “I thought I got better as the game went along. I mean, my stuff is always good. I came out of the gate strong. I had a good first inning. I think I made some really good pitches overall. They had two solos off of me, so it’s tough.”

The close game imploded on Stephenson’s watch, as the first three batters he faced in the eighth -- Anderson, Yasmani Grandal and José Abreu -- all went deep to blow it open.

“We trust Robert right there,” Bell said. “Obviously, he allowed the homers. But when we’re down in a game like that, it really comes down to [the fact that] our offense has to score. Otherwise, we can’t use all of our pitching in that situation, and we trust Robert. He’s been pitching well.”

During the win streak, the Reds scored 34 runs (averaging 5.67 runs per game) and had a 2.16 ERA. Bell isn’t concerned that one loss will end the club’s recent good mojo.

“I’ve been impressed with our team, it’s been pretty steady,” he said. “You go out and compete, and when you lose, it’s a bad feeling. When you win, it’s a great feeling. But at the same time, I think we do a good job of staying really focused, and that’s kind of what got us in this position to be playing these games and having opportunities. Nothing will change there.”