MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gavin Lux hit two doubles and scored the go-ahead run as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Friday night, overtaking the New York Mets for the third National League wild-card spot.
Cincinnati’s win and New York’s 6-2 loss to Miami enabled the Reds to tie the Mets in the standings. However, the Reds — vying for their first postseason berth since 2020 — own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mets.
The Reds allowed just three hits and handed a rare loss to Milwaukee’s Quinn Priester, who had set a Brewers record by winning 12 straight decisions. The Brewers had won the last 19 games in which Priester had pitched, a stretch including 16 starts and three appearances in which he followed an opener.
The last time the Brewers lost a game Priester had pitched was May 24 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The score was tied 1-all in the sixth when Lux hit a leadoff double and advanced to third when the ball got past left fielder Jake Bauers. Miguel Andujar singled home Lux and scored an insurance run on Tyler Stephenson’s sacrifice fly.
Connor Phillips (5-0) earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Zack Littell, who allowed one run over 4 2/3 innings. Emilio Pagan retired the side in order in the ninth for his 31st save in 37 opportunities.,
The Brewers could have clinched the best record in the majors and guaranteed themselves home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win. Milwaukee still can earn that status if it wins one of its last two games or Philadelphia loses one of its final two games.
The Brewers have won each of their last 13 series with Cincinnati. The Reds can end that streak by winning either Saturday or Sunday.
Mets lose to Marlins
MIAMI (AP) — Sandy Alcantara gave up two runs in seven-plus innings, Connor Norby homered and the Miami Marlins rallied to beat the New York Mets 6-2 Friday night.
The Mets dropped out of the third NL wild-card position when Cincinnati beat Milwaukee later Friday. The Reds pulled into a tie with the Mets in the standings, but hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Xavier Edwards had three hits and Otto López doubled and singled for the Marlins.
Alcantara (11-12) settled down after allowing Francisco Lindor’s game-starting homer and Pete Alonso’s RBI double in the first. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner allowed six hits through the first three innings then retired 10 straight before Lindor walked to lead off the eighth that ended his outing.
The Marlins chased Mets starter Brandon Sproat (0-2) during a six-run fifth that erased a 2-0 deficit. Heriberto Hernández hit a two-run triple and scored on Jakob Marsee’s RBI groundout. Xavier Edwards hit an RBI single and Norby’s two-run, pinch-hit homer off reliever Gregory Soto capped the outburst.
Cade Gibson relieved Alcantara and got the first two outs in the eighth. Tyler Phillips closed with the four-out save after the Mets loaded the bases in the eighth.
Lindor’s first inning homer was his 11th leadoff blast of the season and 31st of his career.
Sproat gave up four runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings. It was Sproat’s fourth career start since being called up from Triple-A on Sept. 7.
Mets third baseman Brett Baty exited the game in the second inning because side soreness.
