CINCINNATI. – At a key moment in the season, the Cincinnati Reds saw their winning streak interrupted after falling 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates this Tuesday at the Great American Ball Park, a setback that complicates their postseason aspirations.
The encounter represented the first with the Reds occupying the last wild card spot in the National League, tied with the Mets but with an advantage in the tiebreaker. However, the defeat opens the panorama to other rivals like the Diamondbacks, with only five games left to finish the regular season.
In the bottom of the second inning, Elly De La Cruz responded to Pittsburgh’s initial rally with a two-run home run to right field, his 21st home run of the year, which ties the franchise record for a rookie. His hit cut the deficit in half, but the home offense couldn’t produce again.
For his part, starting pitcher Brady Singer, one of the most consistent arms down the stretch, was punished with four runs in the second inning, including a home run by Oneil Cruz with two outs. After that bad moment, the right-hander recovered and completed 5.1 innings with seven hits, four runs allowed, no walks, and three strikeouts.
Overview in the wildcard
With this result, the fight for the wild card tickets in the National League continues to be close. The Mets and Diamondbacks were still playing their games at the end of the day, while the Reds maintain the pressure but lose margin for error in the last days of competition.
The encounter represented the first with the Reds occupying the last wild card spot in the National League, tied with the Mets but with an advantage in the tiebreaker. However, the defeat opens the panorama to other rivals like the Diamondbacks, with only five games left to finish the regular season.
