With just 14 games remaining in the regular season, the Cincinnati Reds head into Sunday afternoon's series finale with the Athletics just 1 1/2 games behind the slumping New York Mets in the chase for the final National League wild-card spot.

But Terry Francona's squad missed another golden opportunity to close the gap when it dropped its second straight game to the rebuilding A's, 11-5, on Saturday night in West Sacramento, Calif.

Two wins over the Athletics (69-80), who are battling with the Los Angeles Angels to not finish in the AL West cellar, and Cincinnati (74-74) would be just a half-game behind the Mets, who have lost eight straight games.

The Reds couldn't take advantage of New York's latest slip-up even with ace Hunter Greene on the mound Saturday. Greene allowed five runs o

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