ST. PETERSBURG – On Friday, the Reds didn't have to look far to see something they don't want to happen to themselves before Tuesday's Trade Deadline. On the other side of Tropicana Field, the Rays made trades that cemented their status as sellers.

By taking their third straight victory in a 3-2 win in 10 innings over Tampa Bay, the Reds remained 4 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot at 50-53 and are still hanging around the race just enough to delay hard decisions.

“Every game is huge at this point. We know where we’re at. We know what’s at stake," Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo said. "Just keep putting together solid wins. The last three games have been great.”

With pinch-runner Austin Slater at third base and one out in the top of the 10th inning, Stuart Fairchild hit reliever Manuel Rodríguez’s first-pitch slider down the left-field line for a double that drove in the go-ahead run.

In a road trip that started with the club being swept in a three-game series at Washington, Cincinnati took two games at Atlanta (with the third rained out) and took a series opener from Tampa Bay despite notching only three hits. That has them at 3-3 on the trip with two games to play.

“Oh my God, it’s so important for us to win today after a day off [on Thursday]," designated hitter Jeimer Candelario said. "It was a one-run game. It was a tight game there. Thank God we have the ‘W.’"

In the wee hours of Friday morning, the Rays traded former All-Star Randy Arozarena to the Mariners for two prospects and a player to be named later. Shortly before the game, starter Zach Eflin was sent to the Orioles for three more prospects.

It made one wonder what type of energy the Rays would have on the field for the Reds. Plenty enough to make it a hard-fought game, it turned out.

"At the end of the day, sure, they lose a big piece. I feel like the game just doesn’t really care. The game has got to go on and so do they," Lodolo said. "I’m sure it definitely took a little bit out of them, but at the same I thought they showed up ready to play.”

The Reds took a 2-0 first-inning lead on Candelario's two-out, two-run double to right field as Rays starter Shane Baz labored to throw strikes. But Lodolo ran into his own two-run inning in the second as three of the first four batters reached. It was José Caballero's RBI single that tied the game.

Caballero hit a one-out double in the fourth inning to put two runners in scoring position. But Lodolo was able to escape as he retired 10 of his last 11 batters.

“I definitely thought it was a grind today," Lodolo said. "I felt way better last week. That’s baseball. You just have to find a way to get the job done.”

Lodolo, who entered with a 6.05 ERA in his last four starts, pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs, five hits, one walk and hit two batters while striking out five. He noted he lacked the feel of his patented curveball, as it got only six swings and no misses. His fastball was the strikeout pitch, but there was a stretch where that didn't feel great for the lefty either.

The third pitch, Lodolo's changeup, helped get him through.

“Luckily, it’s something I’ve worked really hard on and it’s showing up for me this year," he said. "As the game went on, I felt like it’s something I got back. I thought my fastball command got better, so did the spin from probably the fourth inning on.”

Following Lodolo, the Reds got 3 1/3 scoreless innings of combined relief from Fernando Cruz, Nick Martinez and closer Alexis Díaz. In the 10th, the Rays' automatic runner – Yandy Díaz – reached third base by tagging up on a fly out near the right-field foul line. Isaac Paredes was hit by a pitch to put the winning run on first base.

Díaz escaped by getting Jonny DeLuca to fly out to left field for his 20th save.

Cincinnati is 9-19 in one-run games this season.

“The team has been playing really well," Díaz said. "We got those two wins in Atlanta and start off strong here. I see the results are coming well and it’s very important for this team to keep on rolling because we know what’s out there.”