Sean Casey tosses his helmet after popping out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        Sean Casey is having hard luck at the plate, even when he's there without a bat in hand.

        With one out in the eighth inning, the Reds had two runners on, trailing 6-3. Todd Walker lined a single to right field, and third base coach Tim Foli sent Casey around third.

        Milwaukee right fielder Alex Ochoa made a perfect throw to nail Casey at home by 5 feet.

        “We're trying to make something happen, trying to make them have to make a play,” Casey said. “But Alex has one of the best arms in the game, and he got me.”

        Foli took the blame.

        “It was just a bad decision,” Foli said. “If (Casey) scores and the other guys move up with just one out, it's a good decision. But it didn't work out for us.”

        The play hurt the Reds' rally, as Austin Kearns followed with a flyout to end a scoreless frame.

        Casey went 0-for-4 Sunday, including flying out on a 3-1 pitch to leave the bases loaded in the fifth. He has one hit in his past 26 at-bats (.038), dropping his season average to .272.

        AARON OPTIMISTIC: Jose Rijo has been singing a sad song this week to reporters in the Reds clubhouse, saying a strike is inevitable. Aaron Boone, the Reds' player representative, disagrees.

        “It's way too early to think that way,” Boone said. “I'm optimistic. I feel like an agreement's out there to be had. It's just a matter of us getting to that point.”

        Boone will attend today's union meeting in Chicago, at which a strike date could be set.

        “I go in expecting to be informed,” Boone said. “I expect everyone to come up with what our (unified) voice is. It's early July; this is just guys in an open room sharing ideas.”

        STREAKING: Outfielder Juan Encarnacion singled in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He has hit safely in 17 of his past 18 games. He leads the team with 89 hits.

        KEARNS SCRATCHED: Kearns was posted in the starting lineup Sunday but then scratched an hour before game time because of a jammed right index finger. Russell Branyan took his place in the lineup.

        Kearns pinch-hit in the eighth inning and flied out.

        CONGRATULATIONS: Pitching coach Don Gullett missed Saturday's and Sunday's games because his daughter, Tracey, was married Saturday at the family's home in South Shore, Ky. The groom is Andrew Rapp.

        DOWN ON THE FARM: Third baseman Brandon Larson led Triple-A Louisville to a 3-1 victory Saturday over Columbus with a game-winning, two-run double in the eighth inning. He has hit safely in 13 of his past 15 games (.411) and is batting .342 overall.

        At Double-A Chattanooga, infielder Mike Edwards went 4-for-5 in a 10-3 loss at Tennessee to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. He's batting .410 during the streak and .301 for the season.

        UP NEXT: The All-Star break begins today. The Reds return to action Thursday night in Houston. Reds right-hander Elmer Dessens (5-4, 2.91) will oppose right-hander Roy Oswalt (9-5, 3.38).

        Dessens' ERA ranks fifth in the National League, and his road ERA (1.98) ranks second. He is 5-1 with a 2.94 ERA over his past 15 starts, though his most recent start — five earned runs in 4 1/3innings Friday to Milwaukee — was his worst of the season. Oswalt beat the Reds 11-4 last Wednesday, though he allowed four runs in six innings.

Brewers 7, Reds 4 Reds box, runs Brewers on a roll, Reds lag Casey's hard times at home continue It's been quite a year for Dunn All-Star troubles brewing in Milwaukee Big Unit out of All-Star game Futures game: World 5, U.S. 1 Expos reportedly not done dealing Survey: Players favor steroid testing Columbus 2, Louisville 0 NL roundup AL roundup Notes from Sunday's games

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