Brett Myers was lights out for six innings in his best outing of the year last night.

Myers looked like the ace the Phils so often envision as he threw no-hit ball at the Reds for six innings.

But it wasn’t good enough. Myers and the Phils were outdueled by young Reds phenom Edinson Volquez, who matched Myers almost pitch for pitch on a muggy night in front of still another sellout at Citizens Bank Park. The Reds finally got to Myers for a run in the 7th and won, 2-0.

I have no problem with what Myers did last night. Sometimes the other pitcher is just better.

The problem I have is the way some of the Phils batters approached Volquez. It’s not like the Phils did not have their chances. Volquez, who clearly has great stuff, also does not have complete command of it. His pitches were all over the place.

The Phils had him on the ropes in the fifth, when he walked two batters and then plunked Chase Utley on the foot to load the bases.

That brings slugger Ryan Howard to the plate. So what does he do? Of course he flails at the first pitch, lofting a lazy pop-up to left.

It’s one of my favorite pet peeves about some professional ballplayers. I’m sure Howard has been told to take a pitch or two in that circumstance, with a pitcher struggling to find the strike zone.

But there he was, up there hacking at the first offering.

Guess you’re not going to win them all. But when you’re helping the other team get out of jams, it makes it that much more frustrating.