Dave Bush says he doesn't look at his stats.

And, at times, that line of thinking probably has been pretty beneficial for the Milwaukee Brewers' right-hander.

Like when he began this season struggling mightily and was sent to the minors.

Or when his poor road numbers prompted Brewers manager Ned Yost to employ a home-away platoon with Bush and right-hander Seth McClung last month.

But Bush might want to take a look at the numbers he's been putting together over the last couple of months.

Since June 19, when he allowed one run on two hits in eight innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, Bush is 6-2 with a 2.85 ERA in 11 starts covering 75 2⁄3 innings.

"I have no idea," he said.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Bush, who will start Friday night when the Brewers open a three-game series in Pittsburgh, has allowed one earned run or less seven times in 13 starts since the beginning of June. He's been — statistically — the Brewers' second-best starter behind CC Sabathia since Milwaukee traded for the big left-hander from Cleveland in early July.

Bush's two worst starts of the second half came in late July, and the first — July 26 against Houston, when he allowed four runs in five innings — was after a 16-day layoff, the result of the platoon arrangement Yost ended this month.

Bush is unbeaten in four August starts and has yet to allow more than three runs during the month.

"He's performed much better than his win-loss record indicates, than his ERA," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said.

Bush's overall numbers — an 8-9 record with a 4.24 ERA — were damaged badly by his poor start. He was 0-3 in four starts in April, allowing 26 hits and 17 earned runs in 22 2⁄3 innings, and was optioned to Class AAA Nashville.

And he wasn't much better after being recalled in early May after right-hander Yovani Gallardo's knee injury, allowing 19 earned runs in five starts covering 30 innings during the month.

Bush's turnaround can be traced to improved control.

He walked 19 batters in 10 appearances during the season's first two months; he's issued just 14 walks in 14 starts since — including his four starts in July, when he walked one and struck out 28.

"I think it's just the ebb and flow of his game," Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux said. "He pitched a lot like this last year. There were stretches when he was our best starter. And he's in one of those stretches. He's feeling really good about himself."

Bush started slowly last year, posting ERAs of 6.23 and 5.17 in April and May, respectively. He recovered in June and July, but struggled down the stretch in August and September.

The Brewers can only hope his performances in August are a sign of things to come during what the team hopes will be its first run into the playoffs since 1982.

"I'm trying to be more consistent," Bush said. "There's nothing special. The way I pitch isn't any big secret. I'm not going to blow guys away. It's just a matter of executing my pitches."