CHICAGO — A fan wearing a Cubs shirt wandered into the back door of the visiting clubhouse occupied by the Cincinnati Reds after the game Thursday, Aug. 21, and said, "Is this the bathroom?"

Well, no, but it might be considered the outhouse of the National League Central. It certainly isn't the penthouse.

When the fan barged in, the Reds had just lost a 3-2 game to the Chicago Cubs, dropping the Reds to 2-40 in games in which they have scored two or less runs.

And one of those victories was Wednesday's 2-1 victory.

There isn't much manager Dusty Baker won't talk about, but when the 2-40 thing was broached, he shook his head and said, "I ain't got much to say about that."

The amazing thing about all this is that the Reds were able to win a game despite going 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position in the three games, including 0-for 8 Thursday in Wrigley Field.

"We did that?" Baker asked in an unbelieving tone. "Whew."

Whew, indeed.

Starter Josh Fogg gave up a run in each of the first three innings, including a home run to opposing pitcher Carlos Zambrano that turned into the winning run.

Both Reds runs came on solo home runs, one by Jay Bruce in the sixth and one by Joey Votto in the eighth, but the Reds stranded seven.

Bruce homered, but was slapping his forehead for leaving a runner stranded on third with one out in the first.

"I had the chance to drive in the game's first run and didn't do it and that changes the whole game right there," Bruce said. "When I have that chance, I have to come through."

Told about the 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position, Bruce said, "That says a lot. Obviously, this is a lot different team with Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn gone, but we still have to produce runs. We can't use that as an excuse. We had chances, and we do have people capable of doing it."

Baker used the series as a learning laboratory and was correct in saying the team played fairly well in losing 5-0, winning 2-1 and losing 3-2. But it remains a fact they scored only four runs in three games and had 14 hits.

"We had Zambrano sort of on the ropes early because he wasn't sharp," Baker said. "But he got out of the first inning with no runs, leaving a runner on third with less than two outs, that was crucial. And when you give Zambrano (13-5, 3.29) an early lead, he knows what to do with it."

And he defended his blood-thin offense.

"Nobody gets a lot of runs against the Cubs' staff," he said. "Aren't they No. 1 in the league (second)? Other than the four runs we gave up in the eighth inning of the first game, we held their offense down pretty good, too.

"We played a good series and just came up a run short from winning the series," he added. "We played good defense, but we just lacked some timely hitting."

The Reds outhit the Cubs 7-6, but Votto had three, and he never came up with a runner on base. Jeff Keppinger stranded four, Edwin Encarnacion stranded two, and Paul Bako stranded two.

The guy looking for the bathroom might have done better.

The last time Fogg showed his face in Wrigley, April 16, he gave up nine runs in two-plus innings. He was much better this time, but not good enough when he has a moribund offense supporting him.

Chicago scored one in the first when Fogg walked Alfonso Soriano on a 3-and-2 pitch, and he crossed the plate while the Reds completed a double play.

Mark DeRosa homered in the second, and Zambrano homered in the third to make it 3-0 — Zambrano's fourth homer this year and fifth of his career against the Reds.

When Corey Patterson doubled with one out in the fifth, Baker decided it was time to pinch-hit for Fogg. Runs were badly needed. Adam Rosales reached on a error to put two on, but Chris Dickerson, the tying run, flied to right.

"Fogg wasn't throwing the ball badly, but when you are facing a guy like Zambrano, you can't give him too much of a lead," said Baker. "When you have an opportunity to score runs, you have to take it."

It was 3-1 in the seventh when Patterson opened with a walk. He tried to steal second and was thrown out, then the Reds stroked two hits behind that out but Keppinger stranded two by grounding out.

Baker defended Patterson's theft attempt.

"We were at the bottom of order, and we were pushing the envelope all day — hit-and-runs, stealing," he said. "All my guys, unless I stop 'em, if they think they have the base stolen, they can take it. That pitch happened to be a fastball up, a pretty good pitch (for catcher Henry Blanco) to throw."

Of Votto's three hits that included a home run and Bruce's home run, Baker said, "Our young guys are getting better, much better. We outhit them (7-6), but they scored an extra run because we both hit two home runs. That home run by Zambrano, man, that was big."

Real big.