MILWAUKEE -- No matter how you spun it, Thursday's game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays looked like an audition -- for both starting pitchers.

When Dave Bush, the only remaining question mark in Milwaukee's revived rotation, went head-to-head with Toronto's A.J. Burnett, one of several big names that could be available should the Brewers look to add a starter in the next month, it had the potential to illustrate the problem and the solution for Milwaukee in the same game.

But if the Brewers were comparison shopping for starters, Bush turned the comparison into a no-brainer. And very nearly a no-hitter. While Milwaukee was lighting up Burnett for eight runs in five innings, Bush took a no-hitter into the eighth.

It didn't matter that the Brewers had to hang on for an 8-7 victory, the important thing was Bush finally pitched to the level of the other four starters, who are primarily responsible for Milwaukee's season-saving, 16-6 record since May 26. Brewers pitchers have 18 quality starts in those 22 games, going 13-4 with a 2.87 ERA during that time, but the weak link has been Bush.

"He was unbelievable today," first baseman Prince Fielder said.

The problem is the Brewers never know which Bush will show up: The one who kept the Blue Jays totally off-balance for eight innings or the one who can pitch the Brewers out of a game in the first inning, as he has done several times this season.

It's probably too strong to say Bush was pitching for his job Thursday. But after back-to-back poor starts dropped his record to 2-7, it's safe to say the Brewers were looking at alternatives. Remember, they sent him down to Class AAA Nashville once already and, if Yovani Gallardo hadn't been lost for the season, he might still be there.

But Bush showed Thursday how good he can be when everything goes right.

"His stuff is very, very good," Yost said. "It's just refining command. But when he's on like he was today, he's really, really difficult to get hits (off of)."

The Blue Jays, who traded Bush to the Brewers in 2005, managed only two in eight innings.

"I was really able to throw strikes on both sides of the plate," Bush said. "I mixed my pitches pretty well. I probably threw a few more change-ups today than I had been in the past. I had a little better feel for it than usual."

Yost said Bush pitches much better at home than on the road. The record shows that Bush, a workaholic, pitches better on five days' rest than six. Bush himself is at a loss when asked what he must do to become the consistently good fifth starter the Brewers need.

"I think it's just trying to repeat my delivery and being as consistent as I can and pitching to contact," he said. "Sometimes pitchers, myself included, try to pitch around contact and it puts you behind in the count and it makes it a lot tougher. Being able to throw strikes early in the count and get myself ahead really makes (my) job a lot easier."

The Brewers must decide soon if Bush has what it takes to be the No. 5 starter or if they need to go shopping. If Bush continues to pitch like he did Thursday, it would make their call a lot easier.