Cincinnati Reds come from behind to win fourth straight, shut to 1 recreation behind Mets – Cincinnati Enquirer

So far as the Cincinnati Reds are involved, the playoffs have begun, 10 days forward of MLB’s official begin to the postseason schedule.
A couple of minutes after the New York Mets misplaced to the Nationals in 11 innings Sept. 20, Will Benson singled residence a go-ahead run for the Reds within the third inning of an eventual 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs – the Reds’ fourth straight victory and fifth in six video games.
That closed the hole on the Mets for the ultimate playoff spot within the Nationwide League to only one recreation with seven to play for every group. And for these scoring at residence, the Reds personal the tiebreaker in opposition to the Mets.
Anybody who wasn’t certain that the Reds considered this ultimate stretch as their private playoffs-ahead-of-the-playoffs obtained a glimpse of what October may appear like for the Reds underneath playoff-tested supervisor Terry Francona.
On this night time in opposition to the Cubs, starter Zack Littell was achieved after simply 73 and 5 aggressive innings as a result of – as Francona signaled following his final begin – he wasn’t prone to see the third time by the order anymore.
As soon as the properly rested bullpen took over, the Reds managed the remainder of the sport, except a hiccup within the eighth of back-to-back doubles in opposition to rookie Chase Burns that made it a one-run recreation.
That was till Tyler Stephenson made it a three-run recreation with a two-run residence run within the backside of the inning.
Alongside the best way, heating-up Spencer Steer hit his fourth homer in as many days, heating-up Elly De La Cruz walked, doubled and stole a base, and Francona aggressively pulled platoon levers at first alternatives to realize the sting.
That meant lefty-crushing Miguel Andujar pinch-hitting for DH Gavin Lux as quickly as lefty Drew Pomeranz entered the sport (and delivering a single) and righty Noelvi Marte pinch-hitting two batters later for lefty Will Benson (and lining out to left to finish the inning).
Even the Burns transfer was a part of the plan down the stretch to make use of the 100-mph rookie strikeout maker in two-inning spurts as an all-but-scripted weapon.
He wound up getting 4 of the deliberate outs, together with a 1-2-3 seventh inning earlier than doubles by No. 8 hitter Willi Castro and Reese McGuire.
Bullpen aces Tony Santillan and Emilio Pagán completed up.
The Reds trailed till their two-run third, making this their thirty second comeback win because the begin of June – tying the Blue Jays for many in MLB in that span.
If the Reds beat the Mets for the third wild-card spot, they’d open the official playoffs Sept. 30 on the street, possible in opposition to the NL West champion.

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