'We deserve it': Reds sweep Cubs to maneuver into NL Wild Card place – MLB.com

Mark Sheldon
CINCINNATI — Efforts to jot down off the Reds have been erased — a number of instances. Nailing their playoff hopes in a coffin has repeatedly been foiled Beatrix Kiddo-style, like within the film "Kill Invoice."
Not solely are the Reds nonetheless alive for a postseason spot, they lastly management their very own future within the National League Wild Card race. It got here after a 1-0 victory over the Cubs to finish a four-game sequence sweep for his or her fifth consecutive win and sixth of their previous seven video games.
"Clearly, [we] would’ve beloved to get out of right here with some wins, however that’s a crew that’s extraordinarily motivated and enjoying for his or her lives,” mentioned Cubs starter Jameson Taillon, who allowed one run over seven innings for a hard-luck loss. “They simply performed rather well."
Due to the Mets’ loss to the Nationals, the Reds (80-76) moved right into a tie for the ultimate NL Wild Card spot with six video games remaining within the common season. By advantage of successful 4 of its six video games in opposition to New York within the season, Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker.
“You possibly can’t kill us," mentioned reliever Nick Martinez, who pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the victory. "This was the largest sequence of the season thus far, and we’ve acquired a few extra huge ones."
Additionally in Cincinnati’s favor, not solely does it have the tiebreaker benefit over New York, it additionally has it over the subsequent crew within the Wild Card hunt: Arizona.
On Aug. 19, the Reds have been a season-high seven video games over .500 at 67-60 earlier than dropping 16 of their subsequent 24 video games. On Sept. 5, when Cincinnati was handed a crushing 5-4 loss to New York, it fell to 6 video games again from the final Wild Card spot.
Since then, the Reds have gone 10-5 whereas the Mets are 4-11.
“We’ve type of grinded," mentioned Gavin Lux, who delivered a two-out RBI double within the third inning for the sport's solely run. "We’ve been by lots as a crew collectively: accidents, struggling collectively. We’ve had some highs, a variety of lows, and I feel to get sizzling proper now, it’s nice. We deserve it. We’ve grinded out, and we’re seeing the rewards on the finish right here. However we’ve acquired to complete it."
It was through the seventh inning when the ultimate rating of the Mets’ recreation was proven on the scoreboard at Nice American Ball Park. The group of 29,661 followers cheered with approval.
“We have been retaining tabs within the bullpen," Martinez mentioned. "It made us very hungry and gave us that further edge.”
Reds starter Andrew Abbott pitched 4 2/3 innings and stored the Cubs off the scoreboard. However Abbott threw a variety of pitches — 86, with 51 strikes — in a brief period of time.
Managing with much more urgency, Terry Francona didn’t let Abbott end the fifth inning for the non-public win after he gave up Ian Happ's two-out single. Martinez was summoned to take over.
“He in all probability wasn’t going to exit for the subsequent inning," Francona mentioned. "We’re at a degree within the season the place I don’t assume anyone cares who will get the win so long as it’s us.”
Martinez struck out Seiya Suzuki because the bullpen went on to work 4 1/3 scoreless innings. Graham Ashcraft pitched the eighth inning, and with nearer Emilio Pagán unavailable, Tony Santillan labored the ninth. Santillan overcame a leadoff stroll and a two-out stroll by putting out Pete Crow-Armstrong for his seventh save.
“It feels good for the crew," Santillan mentioned of the Reds' spot within the standings. "We at all times believed in one another, and we knew we wouldn’t go down and not using a struggle. This recreation meant lots, clearly. Now we’ve acquired to complete robust and type of hold pushing, hold enjoying this sort of model of baseball. Chip on our shoulders, come again and be able to go Tuesday.”
Following Monday's off-day, the Reds start their last three-game dwelling sequence on Tuesday vs. the Pirates. The sequence features a matchup of Hunter Greene vs. NL Cy Younger contender Paul Skenes. After which might be three video games in Milwaukee vs. the first-place Brewers.
Cincinnati has not overwhelmed Milwaukee in a sequence since 2022.
“I feel the necessary factor is simply to proceed to concentrate on the subsequent three after which [the] following three after that," Abbott mentioned. "We do have slightly extra say in what goes on now, however we nonetheless have to win. We nonetheless want to return out and win the sequence in opposition to each of those groups. Simply exit and deal with enterprise, and from then on out, I feel we’re accountable for the motive force’s seat.”

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