"Tampa Bay Rays RHP James Shields' impressive streak of consecutive complete games ended at three Wednesday, though not without another strong performance.

Shields struck out 10 in seven quality innings against Cincinnati, but it came in a losing effort as the Reds defeated the Rays, 4-3, in the rubber-game of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.

"I threw seven strong. That's my goal, to go seven to nine and to try and get a quality start," said Shields, who went at least seven innings for the 15th time in 17 starts this season. "Unfortunately I was one pitch away from a quality start."

The biggest mistake Shields made came with two on and two out in the fourth. He hung a 2-1 curveball to Reds backup C Ryan Hanigan, who deposited it over the left-field wall for a three-run homer and a 3-0 Cincinnati lead.

Shields' only other trouble came in his final inning when he walked DH Jonny Gomes and Hanigan to start the seventh, the only two walks he issued. Reds OF Fred Lewis eventually singled home Gomes with two outs for what proved to be the winning run.

"I think I was two pitches away from having a shutout, so it's kind of the way the game works between giving up no runs or four runs," Shields said."