TORONTO – Tyler Stephenson doesn’t like to worry about math.

“No, I don’t. I don’t pay attention to it,” said the Cincinnati Reds catcher.

It’s probably better if he doesn’t look, because the numbers the Reds are facing as the countdown ticks down to less than six weeks of play this week are things that normally only a movie character wiping the floor at some school for smart alecks could solve.

Six games out of the last playoff spot. Five teams can advance. Four games under .500 with 38 games left to play.

Solve for October?

Good luck with that.

Playoff math of the Cincinnati Reds after the victory over the Toronto Blue Jays

That was the scenario at the start of the week after the Reds were swept by the Royals in one of their worst series of the year.

“That hurt after what happened at home,” Stephenson said. “But the beautiful thing about baseball is that today is a new day with new opportunities.”

Sometimes even in a new country.

Whether it was the fresh start north of the border or the beginning of a 10-game losing streak, the Reds got just enough pitching from starter Julian Aguiar in his four-inning major league debut, picking up four runs in the sixth inning to take the lead en route to a 6-3 victory over the Blue Jays in the series opener in Toronto.

“We know where we want to end up and we need to take every opportunity we can,” Stephenson said, “and win as many series as we can and get things going.”

10 games of the Cincinnati Reds against Blue Jays, Pirates and A’s

By the way, don’t ask Stephenson about the mathematical probability of starting a four-run rally by reaching base on a strikeout and a passed ball. Whatever the odds, that’s exactly what he did, followed by doubles from Spencer Steer, Ty France and Jake Fraley, all of which scored runs.

Whether the Reds can sustain that success long enough to make the most of this 10-game series, which continues with four games against the struggling Pirates and three games against the awful A’s, could determine whether they ultimately find the answer for October.

Because September is a gauntlet full of potential candidates.

And there are so few games left.

“You can’t calculate that. Not yet,” said center fielder TJ Friedl, who hit a home run in a three-hit performance on Monday.

“They say ‘so few games,'” he said. “There are so many games left; so much can happen. It’s way too early to count. You just have to keep your head down every day and do your best.”

This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds win over Blue Jays and end losing streak in Toronto