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 "He hit two pretty good pitches; I broke his bat on one," Lohse
said. "I'll take what I got."
The Cincinnati Reds' first baseman was the only batter to reach base
against Lohse, who hurled his ninth career complete-game shutout in
a 5-0 victory at Great American Ball Park.
Milwaukee (81-77) remained alive for the postseason after the San
Francisco Giants lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers late Wednesday.
"If the math goes against us, I still hope we play well and finish
the season strong," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said before he knew
the result of the Giants-Dodgers game. "We played a really good game
tonight in all three phases. Hopefully we'll get a lot of luck."
Finishing strong has become a mantra for Lohse (13-9), who pitched a
two-hit shutout at Atlanta in his final start last season.
On Wednesday, in what likely will be his final outing unless the
Brewers reach the playoffs, Lohse retired the final 13 batters and
20 of 21 to close out his 12th career complete game.
 "I've been tricking myself into thinking every game is my last one,"
Lohse said. "I just kept pounding strikes."
Shortstop Jean Segura made the complete game possible with a two-run
double in the eighth, prompting Roenicke to allow Lohse to bat for
himself.
"I think he saved me there," said Lohse, who struck out six over his
106 pitches.
The five runs qualified as an offensive explosion for Milwaukee,
which had scored just nine runs in seven games on the trip.
Segura went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Second baseman
Rickie Weeks had two hits and drove in a run.
"The guys are trying," Lohse said. "We're looking for a lot of help
(to reach the postseason). We just need to take care of what we
can."
Right-hander Daniel Corcino (0-2) took the loss for Cincinnati
(73-85), which is 9-9 against the Brewers this season.
Corcino, making his third career start, allowed two runs, four hits
and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
"He kind of lost it in the fifth," Reds manager Bryan Price said.
"He had a couple of punchouts there in the first and was pitching
with a lot of confidence, but he kind of got lateral in his delivery
and he couldn't reel it back in."
Corcino got plenty of defensive help early.
In the second inning, shortstop Zack Cozart made an acrobatic flip
to second baseman Brandon Phillips to force Weeks at second. A
54-second review overturned the initial out call.
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton ended the third inning by robbing
right fielder Ryan Braun of a home run with a spectacular leaping
grab up against the center-field fence.
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It would have been Braun's 20th homer and first since Sept. 11.
Hamilton jogged in holding the right side of his face, which struck
the padding on top of the wall. Hamilton left the game two innings
later with a mild concussion.
Milwaukee helped Lohse in the field, too, with a sliding catch by
left fielder Gerardo Parra in the eighth inning on Hannahan's bid
for a third hit.
Third baseman Aramis Ramirez doubled and scored on Weeks' hit to put
Milwaukee ahead 1-0 in the fourth inning. Weeks was thrown out
trying to stretch a double to end the inning.
The Brewers increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning on
center fielder Carlos Gomez's RBI double off Corcino.
That was more than enough run support for Lohse, who didn't walk a
batter for the 10th time this season.
"He was in control," Price said. "He was keeping the ball down in
the zone and had a real good changeup to right-handed batters that
was very effective."
NOTES: Reds CF Billy Hamilton, who left the game in the fifth with
mild concussion symptoms, will be evaluated further on Thursday. "I
was a little dizzy," Hamilton said. "I couldn't concentrate. Light
bothers me a little bit. We'll see how I feel tomorrow." ... Brewers
2B Scooter Gennett was given a day off. He has been dealing with a
quad injury. "I think he's been OK on the defensive end, but it's
bothered him," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. ... On Sunday,
Reds RHP Johnny Cueto will go for his 20th victory this season. If
he gets it, the fourth-longest active drought without a 20-game
winner will end. The last for the Reds was Danny Jackson in 1988.
... The result Wednesday was the 104th shutout since Great American
Ball Park opened in 2003, 19th this season.
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