Elly De La Cruz Hits Milestone Home Run Carlos Jorge Drills First ML Homer Down Braves

            

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Carlos Jorge drilled his first big league homer against former Reds ace Tyler Mahle.  Elly De La Cruz hit his 30th of the season and Hector Rodriguez hit his sixth of the season to down the Atlanta Braves 7-6. 

The win over Atlanta gives the Los Angeles Dodgers a first round bye and the Brave must play either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS.

Jorge opened the game with a home run like Juan Brito did on Wednesday (092326). Tracy Jones and Kal Daniels were the last two Reds to do that in back-to-back games in 1987.

The lead was obliterated in the bottom of the first against, Brady Singer, who closed a disappointing season. The Braves ambushed Singer for four runs in the bottom of the first. 

Drake Baldwin opened with a single. Ronald Acuna Jr. belted Singer's pitch high off the wall. Rodriguez played the rebound to hold Acuna to a single. Matt Olson's fly out tied the game but the Braves were just getting started. Michael Harris Jr. doubled to the gap to give the Braves the lead. Mauricio Dubon singled. Ozzie Albies singled for a third run. Mike Yastrzemski walked to to load the bases. Austin Riley hit another sacrifice fly.

Rodriguez doubled with two outs and Matt McLain scored him with a single.

De La Cruz made it a one-run game with his career-high 30th home run. He needs on stolen base in Toronto to join. Barry Larkin, Brandon Phillips, and Eric Davis aire the only Reds to accomplish this in a season.

The Reds took the lead against Mahle on a two-run single by Eugenio Suarez later in the inning. Sal Stewart singled and Tyler Stephenson walked. JJ Bleday's checked swing grounder to the mound worked like a sacrifice bunt that setup Suarez' single.

Austin Riley hit his 19th home run against Singer. It was his second home run in the last two games.

Zach McCambley replaced Singer in the fourth.

Singer finished his season with a three-inning, five-run, seven hits, two walks with one strikeout. On the season Singer finished with a 6-15 record and a 5.85 ERA. The 15 losses are tied with the Cleveland Guardians, Tanner Bibee and the Baltimore Orioles, Shane Baz for the most losses. He pitched 157 innings, the fewest since 2022 when he pitched 151 1/3 innings.

McCambley gave up a run in 1 2/3 innings on an RBI single by Yastrzemski. 

Connor Phillips entered the game with two outs and Yastrzemski on first. He walked Riley and number nine hitter, Sean Murphy. Baldwin lined out to Jorge in center.

AJ Smith-Shawver replaced Mahle. He hit Suarez with a pitch and Rodriguez drilled his home run 423 feet.

Brock Burke, extending his career-high 77th appearance. He gave up a double to Baldwin but retired Acuna and Olson to preserve the Reds' slim lead.

Emilio Pagan gave up a lead off single to Harris. Dubon bunted him to second. A wild pitch put the tying run on third base with one out. Pagan struck out Albies swinging and Yastrzemski flied out. It was Pagan's 25th save of the season. Since he returned from a hamstring injury on July 1, Pagan is 3-0 with 18 saves. He pitched 27 2/3 innings over 29 appearances with a 1.95 ERA. He walked just five batters in that span, while striking out 33.

Andrew Abbott Has Longest Outing But Reds Fall

             

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Dateline: Cincinnati  '

Andrew Abbott has not won a game since August 6, but he had the longest of his 32 starts against the Atlanta Braves. He had a pair of one-run leads but two pitches kept him off the winning ledger as the Atlanta Braves won in 10 innings, 3-2.

Juan Brito hit his third home run of the season leading off the game against Chris Sales.

Sales got stingy after that and struck out 10 batters, including Sal Stewart for his 200th of the season. It was the ninth season in which he struck out 200 or more batters. He was relieved after the strikeout in the sixth.

Matt Olson hit his 41st home run of the season to take Sale off the hook.

The Reds snatched the lead back against Robert Suarez. Matt McLain tripled to lead off the seventh and scored on Will Banfield's sacrifice fly.

Abbott gave the lead back in the seventh on Austin Riley's 18th home run to tie the game.

It was Abbott's last inning. 

It was the end of the 2025 All-Star's longest start in a disappointing season. He pitched seven innings and allowed just the two runs on six hits and one walk. Abbott struck out six. He will finish the season with a 6-11 record with a 4.61 ERA. He lost his last four decisions.

Graham Ashcraft and Pierce Johnson pitched scoreless innings for the Reds. 

Dylan Lee and former Red Raisel Iglesias pitched scoreless innings for the Braves to take the game into the 10th.

Last years bullpen participant Brent Suter, stranded the Reds ghost runner, McLain.

Luis Mey was assigned to extend the game another inning.

Pinch runner, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., started the 10th on second base. Ha-Seong Kim bunted Keirsey to third. Mey hit Drake Baldwin with a pitch. Mauricio Dubon topped a ball toward the mound. Mey couldn't field it cleanly and Keirsey scored the winning run.

Brandon Williamson White Washes Atlanta

           

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brandon Williamson pitched six scoreless innings and was followed by three Reds' relievers in tossing a 4-0 shutout of the National League East champion Atlanta Braves.

Williamson had not pitched in 15 months when he was one of the best pitchers the Reds had in spring training.

The Reds decided to go with six starters, knowing they would have to navigate surgery with Hunter Greene and weaning Chase Burns through his first full major league season. Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Rhett Lowder and Brady Singer were the others. 

Williamson pitched six innings, allowing three hits, two of them infield hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out two. The Reds turned in two double plays. He got seven of nine batters that put the ball in play for outs, on ground balls.

On Tuesday, Elly De La Cruz crushed his 29th home run and stole his 29th base. He added an RBI single. He is at a high point with a .288 batting average which is ranked 13th in Major League Baseball.

The Reds other two runs came off the bats of Dane Myers with his eighth home run in the sixth inning off Owen Murphy.  Eugenio Suarez belted his 25th home run which came against Murphy in the eighth inning.

Suarez now has 350 home runs for his career.

Brock Burke, Tejay Antone, who turned in his 11th straight scoreless outing, with a scoreless eighth. He had two hits and a walk with two outs, the second was an infield hit by Drake Baldwin. Antone got slugger Matt Olson out with a pop up foul to Ke'Bryan Hayes at third base. Emilio Pagan pitched the ninth in a non save situation.

Tony Santillan May Have Surgery Connor Phillips Recalled TJ Friedl Stays In Organization

            

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds placed reliever Tony Santillan on the injured list with a labral tear in his left hip.

Santillan suffered through an injury riddled year with a left oblique strain. The two injuries limited Santillan to 44 games almost half of the 80 games he appeared in last season. This year Santillan, who may have surgery next week, had a 3-4 record with five saves. He had a 6.42 ERA. Last season he had a 1-5 record with seven saves and a 2.44 ERA.

Connor Phillips finished last season strong and made the team out of spring training. After initial success, he lost control of the strike zone and sent back to Triple A Louisville. In his first 13 appearances, Phillips had a 1-0 record, a save and two holds with a 1.93 ERA. It was downhill from there. Phillips pitched in 12 games and ended with a 5.03 ERA and walked 28 batters in 28 innings. He went to Louisville and appeared in 31 games with a 2-2 record and three saves and a 5.06 ERA.

"He has two plus pitches," manager Terry Francona said. "We just want to see him fill up the strike zone."

TJ Friedl cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Louisville.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Leads Cubs Fit To Be Tied

           

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The bright side for the Reds on Sunday (092026) was the Chicago Cubs couldn't be the second team this week to douse the visiting clubhouse with Chamagne.

The Cubs came close.

They returned to Chicago with the knowledge that if the Arizona Diamondbacks lose to the New York Yankees this afternoon they clinch at least a tie for a playoff berth. A tie with Arizona guarantees them a spot in the postseason. The question to be decided this week against the Miami Marlins and the Boston Red Sox is where in the playoff seeding they will be. 

Crow-Armstrong had three hits, scored three runs and hit his 45th home run of the season to tie Kyle Schwarber for the Major League lead in a 9-1 route of the reeling Reds in their last home game.

The Cubs got to Rhett Lowder for five runs in three innings. Lowder gave up six hits and three walks, including a bases loaded walk to Nico Hoerner. 

"It was walks hits and not putting the ball where he wanted to," Terry Francona said. "

David Peterson started the game for the Cubs and allowed just three hits, including JJ Bleday's 23rd home run of the year. 

The Reds got a scoreless inning from Luis Mey but a "feel good" story turned sour. Carson Spiers had an emotional return, coming back from "Tommy John" surgery a year ago. His triumphant return lasted one out before Michael Conforto belted his 15th home run of the year. Pedro Ramirez followed with a single. Spiers struck out Miguel Amaya but Crow-Armstrong hit his home run to extend the lead to 8-1. 

Spiers settled in a bit by retiring six straight batters seven out of eight until Seiya Suzuki hit his 25th of the season that landed inside the batter's eye, 440 feet from home plate. Although Spiers struck out the last two batters he faced the game was out of reach.

"I know he was mad when he came out," Francona said. "I told him, to think about where he was. Even though he was throwing the ball real good in Triple A, his velocity was down a tick. You will pitch a couple more times and have a normal off season and get stronger."

The Reds managed four hits, including an infield single by Elly De La Cruz; singles by Matt McLain and Will Banfield.

The big downer for the Cubs is Alex Bregman was hit in the face with a foul ball off the bat of Michael Busch. Bregman was removed from the game and taken to the hospital. There were few details after the game.

The Reds fell to their lowest level of the season, 12 games below .500 with six left to play. They haven't had been down that many games since the end of the 2022 season in which they were 62-100.

Chase Burns Placed On Injured List Finished For Last Seven Games

          

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds placed Chase Burns on the 15-day injured list with a tight groin. He will miss the last seven games of the season.

The Reds designated TJ Friedl for assignment, meaning his days with the Reds are likely over.

Carson Spiers, who had surgery last August, was added to the Reds roster.

Burns made 29 starts in his first full season in the major leagues. He was 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA. He pitched 154 1/3 innings. He walked 56 and struck out 185.

"It's not how I wanted it to end but there was a lot of growth this season," Burns said. "We have no idea what's going to happen next year but to get to 154 from 109 is huge and sets me up for next year. It is a lot to put on your body. There was some pain here and there but It was good to go through it."

The Reds were concerned that Burns volume of innings would exceed his 109 1/3 from last season by too much. The Reds decided to piggy back Brandon Williamson over Burns' last three turns in which he was limited to three innings.

Burns felt his groin tighten on Friday (091826) against the Chicago Cubs. 

"It didn't make sense to push him for a three-inning start," Terry Francona said. "He did a really good job and we got him to the point to where next year, no matter how he pitches, it's not going to be, we have to be cautioned with this." 

Spiers had a long road back to the Reds. He made the team out of spring training to take the spot in the rotation while Andrew Abbott was getting over an injury.

"That was the other part," Francona said. "We wanted to find a way to get him here anyway. By everyone's account he does everything right. He was in Arizona and kind of led that group. He is a leader and a really good kid. We had good reports on him from Triple A."

Spiers spent most of the year in Arizona but was able to make four starts for Louisville. He pitched 20 1/3 innings with a 3.54 ERA.

"It was really good to get innings this year. That was my whole focus," Spiers said. "Throwing the ball well has just been awesome. It is emotional when you think back on those 12 months (He had "Tommy John" surgery August 13). I put in a ton of work, a ton of hours. I did everything I could the right way. I learned how to be a dad. We had a baby girl this off season. She was with me through the whole rehab process. As for pitching, I didn't change a whole lot but I did get to mess around with a few things. I worked on my sweeper."

"Honestly the toughest part was once you start throwing lives (BP) and getting into games but it is such a lengthy process. You have doctors protocol's that you have to follow. Once I started throwing and throwing well, It was hot in Arizona too, so I was like, get me out of here. I stuck with protocols and that was the toughest part."

It was difficult for Francona to let Friedl go despite the tough year he had.

"We had talked to TJ and Nick (Krall) walked him through how it was going to work," Francona said. "TJ has been gone two days. I don't know what is going to happen with him. It wasn't that were trying to get him out. I will always root for that kid as will a lot of people here." 

Cubs Get Closer To Playoffs With Win Over Reds

           

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Matthew Boyd ended a six-start losing streak, Dansby Swanson hit his first home run since coming off the injured list.

The Cubs inched closer to clinching a playoff berth with a 5-2 win over the Reds on Saturday.

The Cubs started the game in a tie with both the Phillies and Padres at 85-69. The Diamondbacks, the only other team in contention, are five games behind. Any combination of Cubs wins and Diamondbacks losses totaling two will ensure the Cubs playoff spot. The Cubs own the tie breaker with a 4-2 record head-to-head against Arizona, who play the Yankees later tonight. 

The Cubs scored single runs in the second and fifth innings against Nick Lodolo (3-6).

Nico Hoerner led off the second with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Shaw. Dansby Swanson singled to open the fifth and scored with two outs on a Seiya Suzuki single. Dansby Swanson had two hits, including his 19th home run off Zach McCambley in the ninth.

Hoerner and Suzuki had two hits for the Cubs. 

The Reds challenged the Cubs defense after Mathew Boyd (9-5) allowed no hits through four innings. Eugenio Suarez walked to open the fifth. JJ Bleday hammered the Reds first hit to right field with Suarez hustling to third. Dansby Swanson's relay throw got away from Alex Bregman and Suarez scored. Ke'Bryan Hayes hitting .144 tied the game with a single.

Michael Busch hit his 20th home run in the sixth.

Boyd turned the game over to Daniel Palencia in the sixth. Boyd pitched five allowing two runs, one earned on two hits and two walks. He struck out four.

The Reds put two on with two out against Aaron Civale. Ryan Zeferjahn relieved Civale. He struck out Sal Stewart. Zeferjahn got two outs in the ninth. Ryan Rolison entered to pitch to Bleday with two outs. The Reds sent Oswaldo Cabrera to pinch hit. He was picked up by the Reds on waivers from the Yankees on Friday. Rollison turned in his third save.

Lodolo pitched seven innings for the second straight game, he allowed three runs on six hits. He walked two and had one strikeout.

The Cubs were 6-1 against the Phillies this season and won the season series,  5-1 against the Padres.

Reds Claim And Welcome Oswaldo Cabrera Send TJ Friedl To Louisville Spencer Steer Moved On List

           

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

In the waning days of 2026 with the Reds mired in last place, they claimed Oswaldo Cabrera on waivers. He was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees.

Cabrera is 27 years old from Guernas, Venezuela.

Cabrera is a switch hitter who has played all three outfield positions and all four infield positions.

The 6' 200 pound, Cabrera has appeared in 304 games with the Yankees since 2022, hitting .243 with 34 doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 95 RBI. Her had two at bats in the 2024 World Series as a teammate of Jose Trevino.

He broke his ankle on May 12 last season and suffered tendon damage. He missed the resto of the season. He appeared in three games with the Yankees this season. At Scranton Wilkes Barre, he appeared in 122 games, hitting .288 with 14 doubles, a triple, 19 home runs and 69 RBI. He stole 12 bases in 13 tries.

"I am excited since the first moment that I walked in this group made me feel in a family," Cabrera said. "This is something really beautiful. I feel like its the first day of a new school."

"I'm here to do my job and help the team win," Cabrera said. "That's all I have on my mind. Terry Francona didn't say too much about my role here. I've heard a lot of good things about him. I wanted to meet him in person. He gave me a beautiful welcome."

Cabrera felt pain in the beginning of the season.

"I was in a little bit of pain at the beginning of the season. I'm glad I was playing every single day. I was getting better with the great staff that we had there in (Scranton). Right now I fell 100 percent," Cabrera said. "It was tough. I was in pain every single day but I'm through it. A month ago, I didn't think much about it so it is not so bad."

Cabrera resides in Miami where he has worked out with the Reds Eugenio Suarez. 

"My first year in pro ball when I was 16 years old. It was the first year he hit 20 home runs. We were working out in Miami together. It was so much fun. He made me feel like part of his family. We had some beautiful moments down there. Trevy (Jose Trevino) is my favorite teammate from the Yankees. Trevy is one of those guys you want to be around. He's the greatest human being."

"My favorite position is whatever the manager wants me to play that day," He finished.

Francona had a scouting report on him not only on the field but off the field as well.

"I had multiple messages, not that he's a good, that he's the best guy," Terry Francona said. "That makes you feel good. Trevy had already told us that anyway. I think it's a smart thing for us to do. Who knows what happens but he's a switch hitter, who can play multiple positions. He's a great kid. It doesn't seem any harm in trying it. I know there are probably people, poo pooing it. I think it makes sent to us."

The Reds had to make room for him by sending TJ Friedl to Louisville.

"That was the hard part," Francona said. "We spent some time with him. We talk about Cabrera being a wonderful kid. TJ is in that category. As hard as the year was for him. (91 games, .172 with six doubles, a triple, four home runs and just 20 runs scored.) He never once was not a fantastic teammate. I told him that three or four times. It is meaningful. If someone calls me about him, I will tell them the truth and I mean that in a good way. It would be hard for me to say what will happen, right now. Things have to play out. He had been here 10 years and he thanked Nick (Krall). We talked to him about a few things. He was TJ and I mean that in a complimentary way."

The Reds placed Spencer Steer on the 60-day injured list to put Cabrera on the 40-man roster.

The Reds sent Julian Aguiar back to Louisville and recalled Zach McCanbley from Triple A Louisville.

Julian Aguiar Rises To Get The Win Over Cubs

           

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Dateline: Cincinnati

The Reds took the first game of the final three game series of the season defeating the Chicago Cubs, 6-4.

Julian Aguiar last pitched in the big leagues two years ago to the day on September 19 of 2024.

He was able to pitch three innings against the Chicago Cubs, allowing he gave up two runs on four hits and a walk. He struck out two.

Aguiar was on the mound when Jose Trevino drove in the winning runs in the sixth inning. Aguiar got credit for his third career win.

He was the losing pitcher in that game against Atlanta, giving up seven runs. He won his start on September 13, defeating the Minnesota Twins in a quality start with 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks.

Aguiar was placed on the injured list with a strained UCL in his right elbow that required surgery. He didn't pitch at all in 2025 and started 16 minor league games this season. He had a 6.27 ERA for Louisville.

The Reds called him up to piggy back with Chase Burns, who they are trying to ease through his first full season by adjusting his workload. Brandon Williamson filled that role in three games but was pressed into two innings against the Dodgers on Thursday night.

The Reds placed Julian Garcia on the injured list with bone chips in his elbow.

Burns pitched his requisite three innings, allowing two runs on four hit, including a home run to Ian Happ. Aguiar gave up the two runs and the Reds trailed 4-3 going into the bottom of the sixth.

"He had a good change up. The last inning was his best inning," Terry Francona said. "He competed well which was good. The first two guys got on that had a chance to go in the wrong direction but he did ok. He got us to where we could use the bullpen."

Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly opened the sixth with singles. Aguiar struck out Dansby Swanson. He got top MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong to pop up in the infield. Seiya Suzuki flied out to right.

Brock Burke, Tejay Antone and Emilio Pagan shut down the Cubs over the last three innings. Pagan earned his 24th save when Michael Busch was throw out stealing by Jose Trevino. He was ruled safe on the field but the Reds' challenge was successful.

The Reds scored three runs to regain the lead. 

Sal Stewart put the Reds on top in the first inning on a sacrifice fly. It was the 110th RBI of the season.

Dodgers Clinch National League West On Reds Turf

           

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Kyle Tucker lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers with four hits, including two doubles and a home run to an early advantage, leading to an 8-2 Division clinching win over the Reds.

The loss eliminated the San Diego Padres with their sixth win in seven games against the Reds. It also insured the Reds a losing season with it's 82nd loss on the year. 

The Reds were 20-11 in the first quarter of the season before sliding to the current low of 11 games below .500.

Brady Singer walked Freddie Freeman, then fell behind Tucker 3-1. Tucker hit his 16th home run of the season.

The Dodgers added two more in the second inning. Freddie Freeman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, that Dane Myers ran down in the left center field gap. Tucker doubled in the second run. Tucker finished with a second double in the eighth.

The Dodgers took the third inning off then bum rushed Singer in the fourth. The only out he recorded was Tommy Edman, who was picked off first after he was hit by a pitch. The next five batters reached base to end Singer's day. Freeman and Tucker singled. Teoscar Hernandez walked to load the bases. Max Muncy doubled home two runs and rookie, Josue De Paula, singled to score Hernandez. 

Singer left and Luis Mey finished the fourth inning with no further damage.

"It looked like he was trying to get a little extra and couldn't command his pitches," Terry Francona said. "This is a bad team to play when you don't have command."

Singer has allowed six, eight and seven runs in his last three starts. He was the winning pitcher in one of those but lost six of his last seven decisions. 

"I had a lot of walks and hard contact," Singer said. "I tried to get command going and stuff like that. I tried to get the command going and obviously I couldn't. I couldn't get the ball where I wanted. I tried to force some pitches. Matt Tracy (acting pitching coach) and I are working to figure something out. We're working on some mechanical stuff."

Dodgers' starter Justin Wrobleski was removed after he retired all nine Reds' batters he face. The Dodgers are trying to milk him into the post season.

Blake Treinen inherited a 7-0 lead.

Singer was charged with seven runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings on nine hits, four walks and two hit batters. He had no strikeouts.

Blake Treinen struck out Myers and Elly De La Cruz but Sal Stewart hit his 32nd home run, driving in his 109th run. It was the Reds' first base runner.

Mey, Tony Santillan, Pierce Johnson and Brandon Williamson closed down the Dodgers offense until Miguel Rojas hit his fourth home run in the ninth.  but Dodgers reliever Landon Knack picked up four innings before turning the keys over to Seth Halvorsen gave the Reds a token run in the ninth.

The use of Williamson changes the Reds plan for Chase Burns on Friday against the Chicago Cubs. The last two starts for Burns, the Reds had Williamson follow Burns in his starts.

"This will change that," Francona said. "We are about to meet and figure that out."

Stewart singled to raise his average to .271. Will Banfield, who replaced Tyler Stephenson, who left the game with a cramp, doubled just missing his first career home run. Juan Brito's ground out scored Stewart before Halvorsen struck out Matt McLain to clinch the division crown. 

The Dodgers are 93-60 with nine games left. They have a four game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the first round playoff bye. They are two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top record which would guarantee home field advantage at every level of the playoffs.

It is the 13th time in 14 seasons the Dodgers owned the division title in the NL West.