The Reds failed to take home the sweep of the Brewers on Wednesday. It was a game that featured a strange line-up and plenty of struggling pitching.

• Phillips 2B
• C. Ross LF
• Griffey CF
• Aurilia SS
• Kearns RF
• Hatteberg 1B
• Encarnacion 3B
• LaRue C
• Claussen P

Brandon Claussen took the mound and worked six innings. He allowed five runs (earned) on seven hits and two walks for the loss.

Matt Belisle got the first out of the seventh, but allowed one run (earned) on one hit in the process. Brian Shackelford also worked an out but held the Brewers hitless. Rick White worked one-and-a-third innings and allowed no runs on one hit. David Weathers worked the ninth inning and allowed zero runs on zero hits.

The Brewers already had all the runs they would need to win the game before the Reds scored their first run in the bottom of the third inning. Claussen led off with a single and Brandon Phillips walked. Cody Ross, fresh off the DL, singled to load 'em up.

Ken Griffey Jr grounded out to bring in Claussen. At least they got one run out of it; the 2005 team would have scored none in a no-outs bases-loaded situation. Rich Aurilia then walked to load them up again to set up the 2006 team to score none in a one-out bases-loaded situation.

Austin Kearns hit a solo shot in the sixth to bring in the other Reds' run.

The loss brings the Reds' record to 27-20. They're in second place in the NLC, four games back of St. Louis and two-and-a-half games up on third-place Houston. Tonight they start a three-game home series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m. Eric Milton faces Brandon Webb.