Going up against the two divisional rivals directly behind them in the standings, one got the sense that these were going to be six statement games.

Would the Reds assert themselves and make a bold move or would they stumble and fall back?

These tilts against the Astros and Brewers had the feel of a possible turning point in the season. Things seemed to be coming to a head. Was a moment of truth at hand?

As it turns out, these two series revealed very little about the Reds' prospects for the future. After going .500 on the trip (3-3), Cincy finds itself basically in the same position as before it embarked on the journey.

The Reds neither gained nor slipped. All they did was maintain. The status quo was preserved. In blackjack parlance, they pushed.

But at this stage of the season, breaking even won't win you any chips. The Reds could have really used a strong surge to fortify their position in the division as well as in the wild-card race.

Instead, they merely treaded water. Generally, swimming in place doesn't get you anywhere. In fact, if you're not moving forward, eventually you'll go under and drown.

The Reds were in prime position to have a very productive trip when they copped two of three in Houston and then took the opener in Milwaukee.

But then a puny offense and indifferent starting pitching undermined them and allowed the Brew Crew to take the series with two straight wins.

Worse yet, Jerry Narron's club has now dropped six of their last nine against a very ordinary Brewers' team. Losing with such frequency to mediocre opposition usually spells doom to those aspiring to advance to the postseason.

Coming back to the Queen City, the Reds have no momentum and their wild-card lead over Arizona has shriveled to just 1-1/2 games. That's not exactly a substantial cushion.

The Reds give the appearance of a team that will remain competitive but isn't capable of busting out and going on an extended roll. They seem to be a club destined to have numerous starts and stops. A long winning streak just doesn't seem to be in the cards.

And it's almost imperative that Cincy go on some kind of a run between now and Labor Day if the month of September is to have any meaning. Without one, the Reds could simply be playing out the string during the last few weeks of the season.

And given their splendid start, wouldn't that be a bummer!

Although you can't read too much into what transpired in Houston and Milwaukee, there were some things that are cause for genuine concern.

Minus the departed Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns, the Reds' attack looks noticeably less potent. Three times on the trip they were held to three runs or less. Continued production of that type will lead you straight into oblivion.

And the more you see of Royce Clayton in a Reds' uniform, the more you realize that what he may give you with the glove hardly makes up for what he gives you with the bat. Substituting Clayton for Lopez translates into a huge net loss for the Reds.  

Meanwhile, Justin Germano's uninspiring effort on Saturday only served to underscore how vulnerable the Reds remain without a viable fifth starter in the rotation. It's a black hole that keeps getting deeper and darker.

The game plan is to have Brandon Claussen rejoin the mix once he completes his rehab in Louisville but his return excites no one. Given the uncertainty surrounding his health and his poor performance to date, the Reds can't reasonably expect much from the erratic lefty.

Cincy needs more than just a body in that role. What they require is someone capable of eating up some innings and posting some wins. 

Barring a trade, the Reds don't seem to have anyone who can keep them in the game as that fifth starter. As of now, whenever that spot in the rotation comes up, it amounts to a certain loss. Chalk it up as a guaranteed defeat.

That must change or else the Reds are finished. They simply can't survive with only four starters contributing. The trouble is there doesn't seem to be any help in sight. The hand that they're currently holding sure looks like a losing one. But what to do when your options are so severely limited?

A few other notes from Cincy's just completed roadie.

Gary Majewski continues to labor and struggle. It's now to the point where you begin to wonder if GM Wayne Krivsky made a huge error in judgment thinking that this guy could be a real asset.

Seeing Bronson Arroyo blow a 5-1 lead to the Astros rates as  one the season's biggest shocks. You just don't expect to see a gamer like Arroyo literally throw a game away.

Though Aaron Harang is a splendid pitcher, he'll never reach that elite level until he can start stringing together dominant performances. A case in point was Sunday's effort against the Brewers.

After having hurled eight superb shutout innings against the Astros, Harang followed that up with a pedestrian outing in which Milwaukee touched him up for 10 hits and four runs. Harang may be very good but he's got a ways to go to reach that next level.

So the Reds come out of this latest road trip not having damaged their hopes but they certainly didn't enhance them either. Looking to make a move, they merely marched in place. They didn't go backward but neither did they make any headway.

And as result, we really know nothing more about the Reds than we did when they took to the road some six days ago.