CINCINNATI — Baseball's first team to clinch may also be an offense in trouble.

Once again the NL Central champion Cardinals encountered "plus" pitching Tuesday night.

Once again, they were silenced in most disquieting manner while falling 7-2 to the Cincinnati Reds before a friends-and-family gathering of 12,026 at Great American Ball Park.

This time promising righthander Homer Bailey (7-5) administered an evening's thumping with seven lockdown innings. The Redbirds managed nine hits and a walk while again finding it difficult to work walks and generate extra-base hits. Now 13-12 in September, the Cardinals have lost four of their past five games and 10 of 16.

"You can't just turn the light on and off," said shortstop Julio Lugo. "I don't think the light is off. But we have to stay after it."

Realistically, the Cardinals (90-67) have little tangible incentive except for seeding within the playoffs. However, they appear less and less likely to draw home-field advantage during the best-of-five Division Series.

An offense hitting .271 in its last 16 games has managed only 59 runs. During the span they have accepted only 37 walks against 124 strikeouts. A power-based lineup has managed just 35 extra-base hits during the fade.

"You don't want to turn anything off so you go into the postseason competing as best you can," manager Tony La Russa said. "Whether we're doing that or not... . You can't turn it off and turn it on. Nobody's that good."

"We just need to make an adjustment, whatever it is," said second baseman Skip Schumaker. "We have a game plan. We go over scouting reports. That's not the issue. We need to take what we say in the meetings into the games. Maybe that's one reason we're at where we are lately."

The Reds (75-82) are assured their ninth consecutive losing season but are no treat to play now. They have won seven of eight, 11 of 14 and 24 of 35. Tuesday represented their 17th win this month. Bailey contributed his sixth quality start in his last eight appearances.

Tuesday offered several other culprits:

Joel Piņeiro (15-12) tied a season high with seven earned runs allowed in only six innings. Reds right fielder Jay Bruce touched him for a three-run home run in the second inning and a two-run shot in the sixth to account for five of his team's seven RBIs. Piņeiro surrendered a third home run, a third-inning solo shot by first baseman Joey Votto. Whether Piņeiro is swaying beneath this season's 209 innings pitched is debatable. But it is a fact that Piņeiro has surrendered 35 earned runs in 53 1/3 September innings the last two years.

The Cardinals are 65-16 when scoring four runs or more but 25-51 when held to three runs or fewer.

The next five games offer a chance to regain momentum.

"Part of the reason we're where we are is because we have a good offense. We just need to go about our business like we have been all year long and carry it into the postseason," said right fielder Ryan Ludwick.

Tuesday's task was complicated by playing from behind. Piņeiro entered the game having allowed seven home runs in 203 innings. The Reds' barrage showed a pitcher unable to work down in the zone while struggling to put hitters away.

"When I had 'em ahead I couldn't finish 'em," Piņeiro said. "When I fell behind I wanted to challenge them. I don't want to give up a free pass. This time I guess I got too much plate."

Before the game La Russa confirmed Piņeiro as his Game 3 starter in the Division Series. Afterward he spoke about a pitcher "who didn't get away with anything."

The Cardinals' best chances against Bailey came in the fourth and fifth innings. Left fielder Matt Holliday and center fielder Colby Rasmus failed to score in the fourth after stringing together one-out singles. The Cardinals scored once in the fifth after loading the bases with one out on first baseman Albert Pujols' sacrifice fly.

The night's highlight was saved for rookie David Freese, who cranked his first major-league home run an estimated 429 feet with one out in the ninth inning.