Cincinnati Reds Avoid Sweep, Move Within Wild Card Contention

The Cincinnati Reds maintained their impressive streak of not being swept this season with a crucial 6-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, highlighted by Spencer Steer's three-run homer in the eighth inning. This win moved the Reds to 68-63, closing the gap to 1.5 games behind the New York Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot. Brady Singer delivered a strong pitching performance, allowing only one earned run with nine strikeouts over six innings, helping stabilize the Reds' rotation after a recent struggling start by ace Andrew Abbott. Alongside Steer, Austin Hays and Noelvi Marte contributed significantly to the offense, while Will Banfield made a solid major league debut behind the plate. The Reds now face a challenging schedule with 10 series remaining, including upcoming games against playoff contenders like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. This momentum and pitching depth could prove critical as Cincinnati aims to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2020.