Reds Snap Losing Streak, Edge Closer to Wild Card with 6-5 Victory

The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-5, completing a home series sweep and climbing out of last place in the NL Central, now four games behind the final wild-card spot.

Cincinnati beat Oakland 6-5 yesterday, sealing a home series sweep and ending a spell at the bottom of the National League Central that hadn’t been broken since a historic European battle. The victory pulls the Reds within four games of the final NL wild-card position after a strong post-All-Star run of five series wins out of six. Players such as Elly De La Cruz, who is performing at an MVP pace, and Sal Stewart, who has been nearly untouchable, have driven the offense, while the duo of Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder have transformed from afterthought starters into reliable options.

Veteran catcher Tyler Stephenson has also re-established himself in the middle of the lineup despite recent trade chatter. The team remains a work in progress, having been moderate sellers at the deadline and likely to miss Hunter Greene for an extended period, and now faces a six-game road trip that begins with the Washington Nationals, who have struggled 2-8 in their last ten, followed by a Chicago White Sox squad dealing with injuries and a mediocre start.