Brewers 3, Reds 2

Johnny Cueto went 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter. 96 pitches, 66 strikes. He left on the hook for a loss after Bill Hall gave the Brewers a 2-1 lead with a home run to lead off the seventh.

This was one was strike away from being over when Corey Patterson hit one out to tie it off Brewer closer Eric Gagne in the 9th.

The Reds and David Weathers lost it in the 10th.

"Johnny Cueto threw a great game," Dusty Baker said. "That's why I left him in there in the seventh. I said, 'Dude, you deserve a chance to win this game.' He was throwing great."

But Cueto hung a 2-1 breaking ball to Hall.

"The only mistake he made," Baker said.

The Reds aren't hitting. They left 11 runners on. They're hitting .232 as a team. Jeff Keppinger (.387), Junior (.333), Paul Bako (.316) and Brandon Phillips (.303) are above .300. Patterson's at .269 and Votto's .267. Everyone else is below .200 -- Adam Dunn (.130), Norris Hopper (.1250, Scott Hatteberg (.071), Edwin Encarnacion (.083) are struggling.


Here's rundown of Cueto's second start:

Cueto's first: Went 1-2-3 -- stunningly without a strikeout. He threw 11 pitches, nine of which were strikes. Joey Votto made a nice play on a hard hit ball by Prince Fielder. Cueto hit 96 once on the scoreboard radar readout.

Cueto's second: Struck out Ryan Braun on four pitches. Cueto went to a 3-ball count for the first time in career on Bill Hall but he struck him out with his first changeup of the night. Struck out Corey Hart on four pitches. 14 pitches, 9 strikes.

Cueto's third: J.J. Hardy grounded a single past short. It was the first Cueto had to go to the stretch. Jeff Suppan bunted Hardy over. Jason Kendall singled to score him. Cueto struck out Rickie Weeks and Gabe Gross grounded out. 18 pitches, 12 strikes.

Cueto's fourth: 1-2-3, 7-pitch inning against Fielder (fly to 7), Braun (fly to 8), Hall 6-3. Pitch speeds: 85, 94, 92, 96, 85, 90, 86.

Cueto's fifth: Hart struck out looking. Hardy singled. Suppan bunted him over. Kendall singled. But Weeks struck out to strand the runners.

Cueto's sixth: 1-2-3, 7 pitches. He struck out Fielder on a 95 mph fastball.

Reds tied it in the seventh on Corey Patterson's two-out RBI single.

Cueto's seventh: Hall led off with homer that just got out to left. Cueto struck out Hart, the last batter he faced.

Nice outing by Homer Bailey tonight: 5 2/3 scoreless innings, 4 hits, 1 walk, 7 Ks.