Nick Lodolo Leads Reds to 2-1 Victory Over Pirates; Teams Tied in NL Central

Nick Lodolo led the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, securing his fifth consecutive win by allowing one run across seven innings while striking out eight and walking none. Santiago Espinal provided the offensive spark with a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Despite a solo home run by Ke'Bryan Hayes in the seventh, Lodolo's strong performance dropped his ERA to 2.76 for the season. Bailey Falter pitched efficiently for the Pirates, allowing two runs over seven innings, but ultimately took the loss. Alexis Díaz closed the game with a perfect ninth inning to earn his 16th save. This win moved the Reds into a third-place tie with the Pirates in the NL Central standings.