Cincinnati hands Cleveland Indians seventh straight loss, 6-4

The Indians have not enjoyed their taste of the National League this year. They are 4-13 in interleague play with one game left.

UPDATED: 11:16 p.m.

Al Behrman / Associated PressShin-Soo Choo was able to outrun Orlando Cabrera in this third-inning rundown, but was eventually tagged out by Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez Saturday night in Cincinnati.

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Indians extended their season-high losing streak to seven games Saturday night as they came from in front to lose, 6-4, to Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark.

Justin Masterson entered the fifth inning with a 3-1 lead, but the big right-hander proved to be his own worst enemy. He made his fifth error of the season in the inning to set up two runs to tie the score.

The Reds won it with three more runs in the sixth, all of them charged to Masterson (2-7, 5.21 ERA). The Indians have lost 11 of their last 12 games and are 1-7 on this nine-game NL trip against Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

"I liked the fight, I liked the effort," said manager Manny Acta, "but at the end of the game, the results still aren't showing up. We're not doing enough of certain things to win a ballgame.

"Justin was throwing the ball OK. Then he got erratic in the sixth inning. We left a ton of guys on base and couldn't come up with a big hit."

Drew Stubbs opened the fifth with a single. Masterson tried to pick him off, but the threw got past first baseman Russell Branyan as Stubbs went to second. Reliever Micah Owings, who replaced starter Sam LeCure, singled home Stubbs to make it 3-2. Masterson, rattled by the error, walked Phillips and Orlando Cabrera to load the bases. Joey Votto tied it with a big bouncer to first.

The Reds bounced Masterson in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead.

Jay Bruce opened with an infield single to the third base side of the mound. Masterson wild pitched Bruce to second -- his second wild pitch of the game -- and Laynce Nix delivered the tie-breaking single to left center for a 4-3 lead. When Masterson walked Drew Stubbs, he was done for the night.

When asked about the error, Masterson said, "The throw to first? It was ... whatever. I'll pass."

In other words, Masterson thought Branyan should have caught the ball.

Regarding the rest of his performance, which included a second-inning single for his first big-league hit, Masterson said, "It was just sinker control. That's what kind of left us. I may have been getting underneath it. But it wasn't going where it was supposed to."

Frank Herrmann relieved Masterson and let both inherited runners score. Ramon Hernandez advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo sent a sacrifice fly to right. Shin-Soo Choo's throw home was strong, but a little off line. Rookie catcher Carlos Santana caught the ball and not-so-discreetly removed himself from the base path as Nix slid home.

It was the second time in the game Santana avoided contact on a play at the plate. Brandon Phillips ended the scoring with an RBI single.

Masterson's five errors lead all AL pitchers this season. He's made seven in the last two years. But before we make any rash judgments, remember that Greg Maddux, who won 18 Gold Gloves, made seven errors in 1993.

"He's not a finished product," said Acta. "He's a guy who needs innings, who needs to pitch. He needs experience on everything -- fielding his position, throwing to bases.

"He's a guy who needs work, but we've liked what we've seen. He's not getting hit around and walking guys. He's given us a chance to win his last five starts."

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first when Choo walked and stole second. He scored on Santana's double past first. Santana was back in the lineup after being removed Friday with a jammed left thumb.

The Reds tied it, 1-1, in the first when Phillips scored on Votto's single to center. Jayson Nix made a good relay home, but Santana wasn't blocking the plate as Phillips scored.

The Indians stretched the lead to 3-1 in the fourth when Anderson Hernandez blooped a ground-rule double just inside the left-field line to score Jhonny Peralta and newcomer Jayson Nix. Peralta opened the inning against starter Sam LeCure with a single and Nix doubled him to third.

"Everybody's plan is to get the starter out there early and get into the bullpen," said Acta. "We did that, but Micah Owings came in and shut us down."

The Indians went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners.

In the last three years, the Indians are 5-21 while playing in NL ballparks under NL rules. They are 4-13 in interleague play this year.

Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his 20th save. The first-place Reds are 4-1 against the Tribe this season.

Former Red Austin Kearns made it 6-4 with a two-out single in the ninth off Cordero, but he struck out Shelley Duncan on a 3-2 pitch with two on to end it.