The Reds moved quickly on Sunday to put a damper on the Pirates’ regular-season home finale. Now they will spend the week trying to make sure Pittsburgh doesn’t host any postseason games at PNC Park.
An 11-3 victory gave the Reds two of three games in the series and had both 89-67 teams back into a deadlock for second place — two games behind the Cardinals, who lost to the Brewers on Sunday night — in the National League Central race with six games left. If neither team can catch St. Louis, the next best thing is the fight to host the Oct. 1 NL Wild Card game.
Tied with the Pirates for the top spot and home-field advantage in that Wild Card game, the Reds’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is at two after the Nationals’ lost the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday.
“If we’re going to play a one-game playoff, we sure would like to do it at home,” said left fielder Chris Heisey, who snapped an 0-for-20 skid with three hits and two RBIs. “If we fell two games behind today, it would have been an uphill battle the rest of the way. We’ve played a lot better at home this year than we have on the road. Hopefully it doesn’t, but if it does come down to that last game, hopefully it comes at home.”
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will meet again next weekend for the final three games of the season at Great American Ball Park. In between, the Pirates travel to Chicago for three games vs. the Cubs, while the Reds return home after a 6-3 road trip to play three against the Mets.
“Every game is going to be huge from here on out,” Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo said.
Facing Pirates lefty Jeff Locke, who came in with a 1.19 ERA in four career starts against them, the Reds pounced for a 5-0 first-inning lead. Locke had the bases loaded with one out when Jay Bruce lined a three-run double through the gap in left-center field. It gave Bruce 42 doubles on the season.
Next came Todd Frazier, who lined a two-run home run to the deepest part of the ballpark in left-center field to bring the boos from the sellout crowd of 38,699 fans. A total of nine Reds batted in the inning, and Locke was given a quick hook, with Jeanmar Gomez taking over for the second.
Reds manager Dusty Baker installed Billy Hamilton and Heisey in the top two spots of the lineup and was rewarded with a combined six hits in the game.
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