Reds top Brewers to remain in control of their playoff hopes

The Cincinnati Reds knew that they needed to win on Saturday to keep pace with the New York Mets and they did just that. Cincinnati used a 6-run 3rd inning to topple the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field to remain in control of their playoff destiny heading into the final day of the regular season.

FinalRHECincinnati Reds (83-78)7101Milwaukee Brewers (96-65)472W: Abbott (10-7) L: Gasser (0-2) SV: Pagan (32)Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread

In the top of the 1st inning the Reds would get two men on with two outs but Sal Stewart struck out to end the threat. In the next inning Cincinnati got two men on with no outs but couldn’t bring a run across the plate.

The third time’s a charm, or so the saying goes. Noelvi Marte reached safely on a throwing error to begin the 3rd inning. Miguel Andujar then followed up with a double to put two men in scoring position. This time around Sal Stewart came through as he lined a single back up the middle to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. A 2-out walk by Tyler Stephenson would load the bases and lead to a pitching change.

Milwaukee called on Jacob Misiorowski to try and get out of the jam. Ke’Bryan Hayes didn’t hit the ball hard, but sometimes things just work out and his grounder that went about 65 feet found the right spot on the infield to go down as an RBI base hit to keep the inning alive. Matt McLain walked to bring in another run to make it 3-0. Then TJ Friedl singled into right field to bring in two more – but the throw back into the infield missed everyone and that allowed a third run to scramble across the plate on the play as the Reds made it 6-0.

The Brewers weren’t ready to just roll over, though, and they began the bottom of the inning with a single and a double. A groundout would get Milwaukee on the board. Andrew Abbott was inches away from getting out of the inning with just the one run allowed, but Brice Turang’s fly ball down the left field line hit the end of Spencer Steer’s glove in the corner and went into foul territory for an RBI double that made it 6-2. A groundout would follow to strand the runner.

Neither team would do much in the next two innings, but the Reds would tack on a run in the top of the 6th inning. With two outs Sal Stewart hit a solo home run into right-center where it landed in the Cincinnati bullpen. When the bottom of the 6th inning began Stewart was replaced as the Reds sent Will Benson out to left field and slid Spencer Steer to first base. The defense couldn’t do anything once play began as Jackson Chourio led off the inning with a home run to center to get the run back for Milwaukee as they made it 7-3. Abbott rebounded with a groundout, but that ended his day.

Connor Phillips would take over in the inning but he walked the first hitter he saw on four pitches and then hit the next batter to put two men on with one out. Phillips would get a fly out to right field, but Jake Bauers came off of the bench and hit a soft line drive into left to bring in a run and make it 7-4. That was enough for Terry Francona to see and he walked to the mound to make another pitching change – this time bringing in Graham Ashcraft to try and put out the fire. He would walk Danny Jansen on eight pitches to load the bases and bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Ashcraft came back two pitches later and got an easy grounder to first base to end the inning and preserve a 3-run lead.

Nick Martinez took over for Cincinnati in the 7th and he fired off two scoreless innings to keep the score 7-4. After the Reds went down in the top of the 9th without a run, Emilio Pagan entered the game from the bullpen to try and close things out. Pitching for the fourth day in a row, Pagan got the job done with a 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory.

Key Moment of the Game

TJ Friedl’s RBI single in the 3rd inning that wound up clearing the bases thanks in part to a Brewers error. Those three runs capped a 6-run inning that put the Reds up for good.

Notes Worth Noting

The magic number for the Reds is one. If they win on Sunday or if the Mets lose on Sunday, then Cincinnati is in the playoffs. Both teams play at 3:10pm ET.

The win gives the Reds a series victory over the Brewers. They had lost the previous 13 series to Milwaukee, dating back to 2022.

Miguel Andujar had a 3-hit day. He’s now hitting .374/.415/.566 since joining the Reds at the trade deadline (33 games).

Sal Stewart and Matt McLain also had multi-hit days, with McLain also walking twice.

The Brewers clinched home field advantage in the National League playoffs during the game when the Phillies lost. Perhaps that will change how they go about their game on Sunday as they try to set things up for the playoffs.

Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds vs Milwaukee Brewers

Sunday September 28th, 3:10pm ET

Brady Singer (14-11, 3.95 ERA) vs Freddy Peralta (17-6, 2.68 ERA)