(Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds got a huge lift from a pitcher off the bench on Saturday, while the Milwaukee Brewers were let down by their ace. Cincinnati will now try to complete a back-breaking sweep of Milwaukee today in the finale of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park.

The Brewers have been in a free-fall this month, having gone just 4-15 so far in September. Milwaukee can no longer win the National League Central after the Chicago Cubs claimed the division crown on Saturday, and the Brewers are now 2 1/2 games back of the New York Mets for the NL Wild Card spot.

Milwaukee had a 5 1/2-game lead for the final playoff position heading into the month.

Needing a victory in the worst way, the Brewers started CC Sabathia on short rest in Saturday's test, but lost by a 4-3 score. Sabathia picked up his second straight loss after allowing four runs -- one earned -- in 5 2/3 frames of work.

Sabathia looked as if he was going to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning -- a situation Milwaukee helped create thanks to a fielding error by Prince Fielder -- but pinch-hitting pitcher Micah Owings connected for a two-run single off Sabathia to put the Reds in front. Pinch-hitter Adam Rosales later added a run-scoring single in the frame off Sabathia.

Owings, a player to be named later in the trade that sent Adam Dunn to Arizona, is known for his bat, as the right-handed hurler is a career .322 hitter (37-for-115) with five homers.

Joey Votto went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Reds, who have won six of their last seven games and will try for their first three-game sweep at home of Milwaukee since May 6-8, 2002.

The Reds also lead the 2008 season series against the Brewers, 10-7.

Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two RBI, but Fielder struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth for Milwaukee, which has dropped eight of its last nine and has been outscored 15-5 so far in this set.

After today's test, the Brewers return home for six games to end the season. They finish off the 2008 campaign with three tests versus the Pirates and three against the Cubs.

It gets no easier for Milwaukee this afternoon, as they face one of the hottest second-half pitchers in the league in Bronson Arroyo.

Arroyo is 5-0 with a 1.45 earned run average over his last six starts and has been lights out since June 24, an outing that saw him exit after a career-low one inning in a 14-1 loss to Toronto, which dropped him to 4-7 with a 6.52 ERA on the season.

However, in 15 starts since, Arroyo has gone 11-3 with a 2.88 ERA and is now 15-10 with a 4.57 ERA for the year.

The 31-year-old righty defeated St. Louis on Tuesday with seven innings of two-run ball to post his career-high 15th victory. He had won 14 games twice before, once with Boston (2005) and again with the Reds (2006).

Arroyo is 7-4 with a 3.31 ERA in 12 starts and three relief outings in his career versus Milwaukee.

With their ace having failed to stop the bleeding, the Brewers turn to Seth McClung today with Ben Sheets slowed by right elbow tendinitis.

McClung was supposed to return to the rotation on Friday, but was needed in relief the previous night. He threw two scoreless innings versus the Cubs in that game and will make his first start today since July 21.

The right-hander is 5-6 with a 4.22 ERA overall this year and 4-4 with a 4.33 ERA in his 11 starts this season. He has made one start versus the Reds in 2008, getting a loss after giving up three runs over 6 1/3 innings on July 12.