MILWAUKEE — The Reds nearly had their first back-to-back shutouts since Aug. 12-13, 2000, before Tyler Houston got the Brewers' fourth hit, an RBI single off John Riedling, with two outs in the ninth Tuesday night.

        “The past two nights, our pitching's been lights out,” said catcher Jason LaRue, who hit two homers in the Reds' 6-1 win over the Brewers. “Main thing the past two nights, our pitchers have done an excellent job keeping the ball down in the zone.”

        The Brewers haven't been blanked two straight times since Sept. 9-10, 2001. That's of little consolation to the Brewers, who became the first NL team to lose 60 games.

        “We have just stopped hitting since the All-Star break,” Brewers manager Jerry Royster said.

        Brewers hard-luck right-hander Ben Sheets (4-11) scattered seven hits in seven innings, walking none and striking out eight. His only mistake was a 93 mph fastball that LaRue sent over the fence in the fifth inning.

        Sheets has been on the mound in four of the six games that the Brewers have been shut out this season, and Milwaukee has scored just 13 runs in his 11 losses.

        “He's had some tough outings,” Royster said. “He's definitely been our tough-luck guy.”

        LaRue said Sheets is pitching like he's 11-4 instead of the other way around.

        “In my eyes, he's one of the best pitchers in the league,” LaRue said. “A guy that throws that hard, he's got a great curveball and a great changeup. He always keeps the hitters off-balance with his fastball. He throws it so hard, but a lot of times he'll throw it about belly-high to a hitter. Sometimes it looks like a good pitch to hit.”

        Despite his record, Sheets said he feels as though he's pitching better than he did in the first half last season, when his 10-4 record earned him a spot on the All-Star team.

        “I'm growing up quick,” he said. “I think it's going pretty well this year. I'm right where I thought I'd be development-wise except for the wins and losses.”
       

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