By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer

Jason LaRue tags out the Milwaukee Brewers' Chad Moeller at home in the fourth inning. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

The Reds were looking for answers when they picked up Juan Padilla off waivers from the New York Yankees.

So far, Padilla doesn't look like the guy to solve Cincinnati's bullpen problems.

Padilla, called a "strike-thrower deluxe" by Reds general manager Dan O'Brien, hit a batter and walked another before giving up a grand slam to Wes Helms in the seventh inning of Milwaukee's 7-2 romp over the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

Jobs are on the line for 2005, but Padilla, a 27-year-old right-hander, doesn't feel undue pressure.

"You just try to do your best, put your heart into it," he said.

He has given up six runs over two innings in his last two appearances - all scored on home runs.

All seven runs for the Brewers came with two outs.

"That was the key to the game," Reds manager Dave Miley said.

The Reds have lost four straight games and nine of 10. Thursday's loss dropped them into fifth place in the NL Central, a half-game ahead of the last-place Brewers.

The Reds have given up 76 runs over their last 10 games.

Brandon Claussen started for the Reds and struck out a career-high eight, but his pitch count was so high (95) he was gone after four innings. Claussen allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits.

He's on a strict 100-pitch count.

"We're not going to take a chance with him," Miley said.

Claussen's early departure left the bullpen with five innings to cover - a day after the relief corps pitched seven innings.

The Reds took a 1-0 lead when Wily Mo Pena hit a 2-0 pitch out for his 23rd homer. They added a run in the third when Felipe Lopez tripled and scored on Sean Casey's fielder's choice grounder.

Brady Clark led off the fourth with the second of his four hits for Milwaukee and stole second. Claussen got an out, then loaded the bases by walking Helms and giving up a single to Chad Moeller.

An out later, Clark scored and the other runners moved up on a passed ball by catcher Jason LaRue. Scott Podsednik's single then tied it and would have given the Brewers the lead had Pena not thrown out Moeller at the plate.

Gabe White took over in the fifth inning and walked Bill Hall. White got the next two hitters before the Reds brought in Ryan Wagner to face Clark, who rocketed a 2-0 pitch to the wall for a double to put the Brewers ahead 3-2.

Milwaukee	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Podsednik cf	4	0	1	1	1	1	.254
BHall ss	3	2	0	0	1	3	.246
Overbay 1b	4	1	3	0	1	0	.313
Jenkins lf	5	0	0	0	0	4	.261
BClark rf	4	2	4	1	1	0	.271
KGinter 2b	5	0	1	0	0	1	.245
Helms 3b	4	2	2	4	1	1	.270
Moeller c	3	0	1	0	2	1	.213
DDavis p	3	0	0	0	0	3	.018
Adams p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Krynzel ph	1	0	0	0	0	1	.077
Kieschnick p	1	0	0	0	0	0	.302
Totals	37	7	12	6	7	15

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
FLopez ss	5	1	2	0	0	1	.254
JCastro 3b	4	0	0	0	0	2	.247
Myette p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Van Poppel p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.125
JaCruz ph	1	0	0	0	0	0	.228
Casey 1b	3	0	1	1	0	0	.337
Dunn lf	4	0	1	0	0	2	.269
DJimenez 2b	4	0	2	0	0	0	.263
Kearns rf	4	0	0	0	0	1	.214
WPena cf	4	1	2	1	0	1	.259
LaRue c	4	0	0	0	0	0	.245
Claussen p	1	0	0	0	0	0	.077
Larkin ph	1	0	0	0	0	0	.297
GWhite p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
RWagner p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
MMatthews p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Padilla p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Bragg ph	0	0	0	0	1	0	.203
Freel 3b	1	0	0	0	0	0	.276
Totals	36	2	8	2	1	7

Milwaukee	000	210	400	-7	12	0
Cincinnati	011	000	000	-2	8	0

LOB-Mil. 11, Cin. 9. 2B-Overbay (45), BClark 2 (16), Helms (13), FLopez (14). 3B-FLopez (1). HR-Helms (4), off Padilla; WPena (23), off DDavis. RBIs-Podsednik (34), BClark (37), Helms 4 (28), Casey (90), WPena (58). SB-Podsednik (55), BHall (11), BClark (14). DP-Cin. 1.

Milwaukee	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
DDavis W, 11-10	6	6	2	2	0	3	107	3.59
Adams	1	1	0	0	1	3	20	3.30
Kieschnick	2	1	0	0	0	1	29	3.28

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Claussen	4	6	2	1	2	8	95	6.27
GWhite L, 1-2	2/3	0	1	1	1	1	12	5.77
RWagner	1	2	0	0	0	2	22	4.37
MMatthews	1/3	0	0	0	0	0	3	7.25
Padilla	1	2	4	4	1	1	22	13.50
Myette	1	0	0	0	2	3	28	0.00
Van Poppel	1	2	0	0	1	0	21	6.16

HBP-by Padilla (BHall), by DDavis (Casey). WP-Claussen. PB-LaRue. T-3:22. A-15,011 (42,271).