Reds Narrow Wild Card Deficit With Key Wins Over Cubs

The Cincinnati Reds have been on a crucial winning streak, significantly bolstering their playoff chances in the National League wild card race. Hunter Greene delivered a dominant complete game one-hitter shutout against the Chicago Cubs, striking out nine and allowing only one walk, helping the Reds secure a 1-0 victory. Following that, the Reds showcased powerful offense with five home runs in a 7-4 win over the Cubs, highlighted by Spencer Steer's two homers and contributions from Miguel Andujar, Matt McLain, and Elly De La Cruz. In another matchup, the Reds used a trio of home runs by Steer, TJ Friedl, and Tyler Stephenson to win 6-3, narrowing their gap to just one game behind the Mets for the final wild card spot. Cincinnati's bullpen has been instrumental in preserving these leads, demonstrating the kind of performances needed to stay competitive in the playoff race. Meanwhile, the Cubs have struggled with their pitching depth, with starters like Javier Assad and Drew Pomeranz facing difficulties containing the Reds' offense during these critical games.