Cincinnati Reds' Jay Bruce (32) scores from second on a single by Derrick Robinson as the throw gets past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Michael McKenry (19) during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are well aware of what’s coming when Johnny Cueto is standing on the mound.

Not that it makes figuring out the Cincinnati Reds ace any easier. Cueto continued his mastery of the Pirates in a 6-0 romp on Friday night to cool off one of baseball’s hottest teams.

“We saw it all tonight,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “He was very stingy tonight.”

He almost always is against the Pirates. Cueto (3-0) bumped his lifetime record versus Pittsburgh to 13-4 to send the Pirates to just their fifth loss in their last 21 games.

Pittsburgh has put together its best month in 21 years (19-9) behind a lights out bullpen that helped them secure four 1-0 victories in a span of 11 days, the first team to pull off that feat since the 1918 Washington Senators.

Cueto made sure it didn’t get that far, striking out six and walking one while surrendering only a single to left by Brandon Inge with one out in the fifth. Inge was a late substitution when regular third baseman Pedro Alvarez was scratched after having his wisdom teeth removed. If he doesn’t find open grass the Pirates could have been no-hit at home by the Reds for the second time in eight months.

Homer Bailey no-hit Pittsburgh last September and Cueto was probably sharper in his third start since returning from the disabled list.

“Luckily Brandon saved us all with a half-swing base hit,” Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker said. “Maybe we should all have half-swinged tonight. Nothing else really worked for us.”

Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips hit solo home runs off for the Reds, who piled on in the late going against Pittsburgh reliever Mike Zagurski, a rare hiccup by baseball’s best bullpen through the first third of the season as the two rivals moved into a second-place tie behind St. Louis in the NL Central at 34-21.

Wandy Rodriguez (6-3) kept the Pirates in it even though he struggled with his command. The left-hander surrendered five hits and walked three with five strikeouts in seven innings.

“You see Cueto pitching a pretty good game and you’re trying to keep the game in line, especially after the first home run,” Rodriguez said. “I tried to do my best but it happens.”