This Reds team is determined not to be swept.
In a series marked by dramatic ups and downs, the Reds secured a victory over the top-ranked Brewers on Sunday.
The game ended 3-2 after going into extra innings. Most of the game saw the Brewers remain scoreless, thanks to outstanding pitching from Reds All-Star Andrew Abbott. The Brewers eventually scored two runs in the ninth inning from a home run hit by William Contreras off pitcher Emilio Pagán, taking a 2-1 lead.
However, the Reds quickly responded in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game with an RBI hit from Jose Trevino that Will Benson scored on, forcing the game into extra innings.
In the 10th inning, relief pitcher Graham Ashcraft kept the Brewers from scoring, and the Reds earned the winning run with an RBI hit from Austin Hays, who was driven home by TJ Friedl.
This important win comes after the Reds lost leads in their previous two games against the Brewers, including an 8-1 advantage during Friday’s match.
The Brewers maintain the best record in MLB, sitting at 78-45 after Sunday’s game and lead the National League Central division, which also includes the Reds, Cubs, Cardinals, and Pirates. Although the Reds’ chances of winning the division are slim, their 65-60 record keeps them in the mix for a wild card spot, currently held by the New York Mets. The Reds are now the only team in MLB with a chance to complete the season without being swept in any series, a rare achievement in the league’s history. They will face the Los Angeles Angels next in a three-game series in California starting Monday.
