SAN DIEGO — The Reds' seven-game winning streak ended with the kind of performance that preceded it. They wasted their meager scoring opportunities along with Chris Reitsma's admirable pitching Saturday night in a 2-0 loss to the San Diego Padres.

Sean Casey argued with home-plate umpire Dana DeMuth after being thrown out at home plate in the second inning. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        After batting .289 and averaging 7.4 runs per game during the streak, Cincinnati (45-64) mustered just four hits in eight innings off Padres starter Brian Tollberg (5-3), who was recalled earlier Saturday from Triple-A Portland. The inevitable Trevor Hoffman survived second baseman Damian Jackson's error on Ken Griffey Jr.'s grounder in the ninth inning to record his 27th save.

        Tollberg, an undistinguished right-hander who spent six years in the minor leagues before breaking into the majors last year, is 9-7 lifetime but 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA against the Reds.

        He outdid Reitsma (5-11), whose teammates have scored two runs or fewer in seven of his starts. This time, they moved runners into scoring position in only the second, fourth and eighth innings, partly accounting for the game's quick one-hour, 59-minute duration.

        Reitsma admitted feeling frustrated, but not at the continued lack of offense behind him. “I really wanted to continue that winning streak for the team,” he said.

        But other Reds felt badly for him.

        “Somebody usually gets picked on every year,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

Padres SS D'Angelo Jimenez leaps over Aaron Boone in the middle of a fourth-inning DP. | ZOOM |

        “I think he has the worst run support in the National League,” said Reds first baseman Sean Casey, who uncharacteristically argued with home-plate umpire Dana DeMuth after being thrown out at home plate in the second inning. “We need to put some runs up for him. That's frustrating, because he has pitched really great.”

        At the very least, Reitsma showed that his 12-day break between starts was exactly what his tired right arm needed. He worked seven innings, allowing both of San Diego's runs and six hits.

        “I was thankful to be healthy, that I felt good and that I stayed in there as long as I did,” said Reitsma, who threw 57 strikes among 90 pitches.

        Reitsma's primary nemesis was Phil Nevin, San Diego's cleanup hitter who stranded eight runners on base in Friday's series opener. Nevin rebounded from that woeful evening, clobbering a home run leading off the fifth inning and an RBI single to left with two outs in the sixth.

        “He made two mistakes all night long. Both of the mistakes were to the same guy,” Reds catcher Jason LaRue said.

Chris Reitsma | ZOOM |

        Reitsma, who was making his first start since July 22, had allowed only one hit while facing the minimum of 12 batters before Nevin homered on a 1-2 curveball. Nevin became the second Padre to hit 30 homers in back-to-back seasons, joining Fred McGriff (31 in 1991, 35 in 1992) in that exclusive company.

        “Halfway to the plate, I was saying a prayer because it slipped out of my hand,” Reitsma said. “I thought, "Ohhh, don't hit that one.' ”

        Jackson opened the sixth with an infield single and moved to second on Mark Kotsay's groundout. After striking out the dangerous Ryan Klesko, Reitsma tried to pitch around Nevin with first base open. But Reitsma failed to avoid Nevin's hitting zone when he lined a two-strike single off the left-field wall.

        “I meant to bounce a change-up to him. I left it up and he hit it,” Reitsma said. “It's not a mental error; it's a physical thing. He's an outstanding hitter and an All-Star caliber player for a reason.”

        That was enough to stifle the Reds, who rarely sustained much offense.

        Casey doubled leading off the second inning and moved to third base on Aaron Boone's groundout. Casey then broke for home on Dmitri Young's grounder to first baseman Klesko, whose throw zipped slightly toward the left-handed batter's box. That forced catcher Ben Davis to reach for the ball, which gave Casey a better chan
o score. Though the sliding Casey appeared to beat Davis' tag, television replays indicated that his foot may have been above the plate.

        In fact, said Casey, “Dana said I beat the throw; my foot was up or something.”

        Cincinnati's next fruitless threat came in the fourth, when Griffey and Casey singled to start the inning. Boone's fielder's-choice grounder forced Casey at second and left runners at the corners with one out. The Reds were less lucky with Young's subsequent grounder to Jackson, who started an inning-ending double play.<
p>         Pokey Reese singled with one out in the eighth and moved to second on pinch hitter Ruben Rivera's groundout. Tollberg then froze Todd Walker with a third strike.

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