Reds extend lead over Diamondbacks, close on Mets for final NL Wild Card after win over Pirates

CINCINNATI (AP) — Noelvi Marté robbed Bryan Reynolds of a tying home run in the ninth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Thursday to move within a half-game of the New York Mets for the final NL wild card.

Marté and Gavin Lux drove in runs, and the Reds (81-78) were positioned to move in into the last wild card spot if the Mets lost at the Chicago Cubs later Thursday. Cincinnati has the tiebreaker over the Mets (81-77) and also Arizona Diamondbacks (80-79), which lost big in a bullpen game on Thursday.

Nick Lodolo tied his career high with 12 strikeouts before leaving with a right groin injury in the seventh.

Marté used his 6-foot-2 height when he jumped at the 8-foot right-field wall and reached back above the first-row of seats to catch Reynolds’ 348-foot drive for the second out of the ninth. Marté had all three putouts as Emilio Pagán got three straight outs for his career-high 30th save in 36 chances.

Lodolo (9-8) got 27 swings and misses, including 15 on curveballs. He allowed two hits and walked one, leaving due to the injury after 6 1/3 innings and 81 pitches. Lodolo also struck out 12 at Philadelphia on April 8, 2023.

Braxton Ashcraft (4-4) gave up two runs and a career-high eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Nick Yorke had an RBI grounder in the eighth.

Cincinnati salvaged the three-game series finale, which started after a 1-hour, 22-minute rain delay.

After making the catch on Reynolds, Marté sprinted toward the right-field line to grab Andrew McCutchen’s liner for the final out.

Cincinnati was six games out of a wild-card spot in early September after losing 10 of 13 games but has won 10 of its last 17.

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