MILWAUKEE _ Consistently inconsistent would probably be the best way to describe the Milwaukee Brewers' offense of late.
A day after becoming just the 19th team in major-league history to score a run in every inning in a blowout of the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee's bats went almost completely silent until late in an eventual 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night at Miller Park.
Reds right-hander Homer Bailey making just his third major-league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery early last May, and he was dominant. He limited the Brewers to just three hits over six shutout innings, didn't issue a walk and struck out 11 _ one more than in his previous two starts combined.
The frustration then boiled over heading into the eighth inning, when Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell was ejected by home-plate umpire Bill Miller. Counsell then emerged from the dugout and had a heated argument with Miller before departing for the rest of the evening.
Home runs by Ramon Flores and Manny Pina in the final two innings made things interesting, but the Reds ultimately held on to win.
Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson labored through a 29-pitch first inning in which he retired the first two batters he faced before quickly losing his command.
His problems began when Joey Votto drew a nine-pitch walk, and Nelson followed that up by plunking Adam Duvall. Brandon Phillips' single loaded the bases, then Nelson walked .185-hitting Scott Schebler to force in the first run before finally striking out Eugenio Suarez.
Nelson got into more trouble in the third, beginning with a one-out homer to left by Duvall. Phillips then singled, stole second and scored on a bloop single to short right by Suarez to up Cincinnati's lead to 3-0.
With his pitch count at 70 heading to the fourth, Nelson didn't appear to be in position to last much longer than his previous three starts _ none of which were longer than 4 2/3 innings. But he did himself a big favor by picking Billy Hamilton off second after the speedster stole his third base of the night, leaving him to face only the minimum in the frame.
Nelson (6-12) worked around a Duvall single in the fifth and eventually retired Schebler on a grounder for the third out. It marked the first time since July 22 Nelson had completed five innings, and at 108 pitches he finished just one shy of tying his season high established on April 26.
He allowed six hits, three runs (earned) and three walks while striking out seven, but has now lost five consecutive starts and won just once since May 29.
Bailey (2-1), meanwhile, looked like anything but a pitcher just coming back off a major injury.
He faced the minimum three of his first four innings, and allowed multiple baserunners just once when Chris Carter walked and Hernan Perez singled to open the Brewers' fifth. But Bailey recovered with a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a popout to ultimately get himself out of the inning.
Bailey had success against the top of Milwaukee's lineup in particular, striking out 1-2 hitters Jonathan Villar and Orlando Arcia all six times he faced them.
He was able to ease out of the game after 102 pitches thanks to the four-run seventh the Reds put up against Brewers reliever Jhan Marinez, who celebrated his 28th birthday in rough fashion.
Counsell's ejection was his first of the season, and the third of his managerial career.
Milwaukee broke up the shutout in the eighth, when Flores homered to center off Ross Ohlendorf. Then Pina added a three-run shot _ his first in the major leagues _ in the ninth to make Reds manager Bryan Price have to use closer Raisel Iglesias in a save situation.
