ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Erasmo Ramirez had given up at least six hits in his previous four starts, so a dominating outing like Wednesday's, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-3 win at Tropicana Field, was just what he needed.

"I feel proud of myself to keep the team with no score in the first four," Ramirez said. "To be able to do that today gives me more confidence, and we started hitting like we always did."

The Rays (39-36) scored four in the sixth to break open a close game and won two of three from Cincinnati, and Ramirez (4-2) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning.

Up only 3-2 in the sixth, the Rays got two-out RBI singles from Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza and a two-run double by Logan Morrison off reliever Wandy Peralta. Peralta and Austin Brice each recorded only one out while giving up two runs and three hits apiece.

"It's extremely disappointing," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It would have been a good feel to not just break a losing streak but to win a series. For us to do what we want to do, we have to start to knock down series. ... Today, it was a nice game at 3-2 going to the bottom of the sixth and Tampa comes up with four. It wasn't necessarily a death blow, but it certainly gave them a huge advantage."

The Reds (30-41) have dropped 11 of their last 12 road games and still have four more ahead before they return home. The Rays have won nine of their last 12 at home with three more ahead this weekend.

"Everything worked together today," Ramirez said. "That's something you always want. All the little pieces -- it's something that makes a team. You lose together and you win together."

The Rays could have had more of a lead, but they lost three runners in scoring position -- Souza was picked off at second, Trevor Plouffe was thrown out to end the fifth trying to get to third on a single, and the same thing happened to Taylor Featherston for the first out of the sixth.

Ramirez retired the first nine batters in order before walking Billy Hamilton to lead off the fourth. He struck out Scooter Gennett and Adam Duvall, sandwiching those two around a Joey Votto walk, and caught a break defensively to end the inning. Eugenio Suarez hit a slow grounder to short that Robertson bobbled, allowing Suarez to reach first, but Robertson smartly caught Hamilton between third and home, getting the out in a 6-5-2-4-5-7 rundown to end the inning.

Cincinnati got its first hit and run when Scott Schebler led off the fifth with a home run, his 20th on the season, to cut the Rays' lead to 3-1. It was Schebler's second home run of the series, extending his career season high to 20.

The Rays didn't get a hit until the third inning against Reds starter Tim Adleman (4-4), but came up with support for Ramirez, whose job in the starting rotation was in jeopardy after recent struggles.

Souza got a two-out single in the third to score Jesus Sucre, who had walked, for a 1-0 lead. Plouffe, acquired over the weekend from Oakland, hit a solo home run to left field to lead off the fourth, his first with the Rays and the eighth this season. The Rays again came up with a two-out hit, as Mallex Smith hit an RBI single to right to score Robertson, who had walked.

Price had talked after Tuesday's loss about the need to limit walks by his pitchers, but two of the Rays' first three runs were scored by batters who reached base on walks. He also said he needs longer outings from his starting pitchers.

"It's critical at this point -- we'd like to see a lot more 6-7 inning outings, and truth be told, we're starting to talk about six-inning outings being successful," Price said. "Maybe the game is evolving and changing that way, but I'm still a believer if you have guys that can pitch deep into a game, you have a fresh bullpen to finish the game off when you need them."

Cincinnati got a run closer in the sixth, with Gennett scoring on a bases-loaded single by Schebler, who hit a comebacker that reliever Jose Alvarado tried to catch behind his back on the mound. The ball knocked his glove off and bounced away for an infield single. Alvarado was able to strike out Devin Mesoraco with the bases loaded to end the inning and preserve the lead.

Both teams are off Thursday before opening three-game series on Friday. The Reds continue a seven-game road swing at Washington against the Nationals, while the Rays play host to the Baltimore Orioles.

NOTES: The Rays' Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, played a man short in their bullpen Wednesday as RHP Ryan Garton was placed on the seven-day disabled list, according to the Tampa Bay Times. ... For Friday's opener at Washington, the Reds will call up RHP Luis Castillo from Double-A Pensacola to start and make his major league debut against Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg. Castillo, 24, is 4-4 with a 2.58 ERA in 14 starts for the Blue Wahoos, with 81 strikeouts against just 13 walks.