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        MILWAUKEE — Obscured in the euphoria of the Reds' weekend sweep of the Chicago Cubs was the fact that the Reds were 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position. The Reds' bats went from cold to icy as they came north to play the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew completed the sweep of the Reds Wednesday with a 5-1 victory at County Stadium.

        The Reds were 1-for-26 with runners in scoring position in the series, including 0-for-9 Wednesday. So for the road trip, the Reds were 3-for-45 (.067).

        “We're not getting the job done,” Ken Griffey Jr. said. “We're not getting the big hit.”

        It was the Brewers' first three-game sweep at home since May 1998.

        “You win three in Chicago and think you're going to take off,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “Then you come in and get swept in three by these guys ...”

        The loss dropped the Reds back to a game under .500 at 59-60 and 6 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. The Reds came in knowing they had to win to keep pace with the Cards, who beat the Cubs 5-1 earlier Wednesday.

Chris Stynes bobbles a throw as Jeff D'Amico slides into third. | ZOOM |

        Jeff D'Amico (9-4), who may be the hottest pitcher in baseball, started for the Brewers. D'Amico is a 24-year-old, 6-foot-7, 250-pound right-hander, thus the nickname “Big Daddy.” He won his seventh straight decision and lowered his ERA to 1.84.

        D'Amico wasn't great — seven innings, one run, eight hits, two walks, two strikeouts — but the Reds have been getting their share of hits. Five of their eight position players came into Wednesday's game with batting averages above .293.

        “We can't find the key hit,” McKeon said. “They come up with nobody on and they get a hit. It may be a situation where they're trying to do too much.”

        The Reds are off today. They open a seven-game homestand Friday in the first of three against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With only 43 games left, the Reds could play themselves out of the race very quickly.

        To turn it around, the Reds have to start hitting.

        They've scored 11 runs in the last five games.

Richie Sexson and Dmitri Young tumble after Sexson reached for a low throw. Young left the game. | ZOOM |

        “That's not going to win too many,” McKeon said. “We've talked about pitching all year. But the pitching was relatively good on the road trip.”

        The Brewers jumped on Reds starter Rob Bell in the first.

        Bell (5-7) got the first two batters out routinely. He allowed a single to Geoff Jenkins. That brought up Reds killer Richie Sexson.

        Sexson hit the first pitch into the bleachers behind left field. The homer made Sexson 5-for-10 with three homers and five RBI in the series. It gave Sexson, whom the Brewers acquired in a deadline trade with the Cleveland Indians, an RBI in a career-high seven straight games.

        The Reds got runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings.

        The Reds finally broke through in the fifth. Chris Stynes led off with a single. Barry Larkin flied out, and Griffey bounced into a fielder's choice, eliminating Stynes.

        Dante Bichette drove in Griffey with a drive that got to the wall in center field.

        The run meant the Reds avoided a shutout for the 139th straight time. They are the only team in baseball not to be shut out. That is a franchise record and the longest streak to start a season since the Philadelphia Phillies went the first 158 games of 1993 without being shut out.

        But the threat fizzled after Bichette's hit.

        The Reds' pitching was decent until Larry Luebbers and Ron Villone gave up two runs in the eighth.

        “We're leaving too many runners on base,” McKeon said. “We've got to start getting the key hit. How are we going to do it? I wish I had the answer.”

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