This is when all the sports clichés come out.

You just have to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and dust yourself off.

True character is how you handle adversity.

You take your licking and move on.

Nothing comes easy in this sport. 

Time to make some adjustments.

They need to get back on track.

Forget yesterday and move on.

The Rangers need to pull every cliché out of the book to explain away being swept by the Cincinnati Reds. Not that the Reds are unworthy of winning—they are not the minor league Oakland Athletics who are unworthy of winning—but it’s how they lost.

Three games, each one more of a gut punch than the other. Monday they blew a 5-1 lead when the bullpen melted down and couldn’t find the strike zone, losing 7-6. That was a disappointment.

Tuesday, they blew a 6-0 lead when the bullpen melted down and coughed up six runs in the eighth, again losing 7-6.

Wednesday, they trailed for most of the game, then finally tied it in the ninth 3-3, only to see it go away within two batters in the bottom of the ninth. Jonathan Hernandez gave up a single and a two-run homer, and just like that, the Rangers had another heartbreaking loss.

They head back home tonight with four against the Yankees knowing two things. 

One, they need to figure out their bullpen ASAP.

Two, they will eventually run out of clichés.

*****