Play-by-Play Finale: Reds Need Sweep to Make Playoffs

To make the playoffs in their Statis-Pro regular season finale, the Cincinnati Reds needed to not only beat the Brewers, but win after leading by 5+ runs at the end of the 8th inning.

It was a thriller so we decided to reveal chronologically.

Top of 1st Inning - Brewers at bat vs. Reds All-Star and ace Andrew Abbott

Jackson Chourio singles and steal with 2 outs, but Brewers fail to score - 0-0.

Bottom of 1st Inning - Reds vs. Brewers No. 4 pitcher Aaron Ashby

Elly De La Cruz - singles a but stranded.

Top of 2nd and 3rd

Andrew Abbott retires 6 straight Brewers, 0-0.

Bottom of 3rd inning

Elly De La Cruz - singles and steals 2nd and 3rd base, then scores on single by Noelvi Marte, Reds lead 1-0 after 3 innings.

Top of 5th

Reds load bases, but fail to score. Rain delay in bottom of 5th and Brewers fail to score. Rain delay only 28 minutes to pitcher's do not lose PB ratings (more than 30 minutes the PB drops by 1 for pitchers).

Top of 6th

Jackson Chourio singles, William Contreras walks and with two outs both score on Joey Ortiz double. Brewers lead 2-1, meaning Reds would now need to get to a 7-2 lead by end of 8th inning to qualify for a sweep - otherwise their season would end.

Bottom of 6th inning

Austin Hays singles, TJ Friedl hit by pitch, Jose Trevino hit 3-run homer. Ashby out of Stamina so much leave the game with Reds now up 4-2.

Bottom of 8th 

Setup Man Chad Patrick gives the Brewers their first PB 2-8 pitcher of the game to start the 8th. Reds must score at least 3-runs in the 8th inning or their season ends after the game. 

With one out, TJ Friedl singles, then Jose Trevino singles to wrap up his 2-game finale with 7 hits in 9 at bats including 2 doubles, a homer, and 7 RBIs. 

Spencer Steer walks to load the bases, and Patrick is out of stamina so ace Trevor Megill - with the best rating of PB 2-9 - enters needing to get 2 outs before allowing three runs to score to extend the Reds season.

With Jake Fraley at the plate, the PB number drawn is not a 2-12, but rather a CD which means a chance for a clutch defensive play and the position drawn is left field meaning Christian Yelich has to try to make a tough running catch using his Clutch Defensive rating, which is the lowest rating - CD1. 

He fails to make the catch, which allows a base clearing double and amazingly the Reds have the 7-2 lead they need to claim the SWEEP and make the playoffs, as long as they hold only win the game (score at end of 8th inning dictates if it is a sweep, but if the team behind overcomes the 5-run deficit to win the game, then here is no win or sweep.

Top of 9th

Reds lack a reliever above PB2-7, and Yelich makes up some with a 2-run homer with two outs - however the Reds hold on for the 7-4 win and get sweep credit to catch the Phillies for the final playoff spot.

While the sweep put the Reds in a 1-game showdown with Philadelphia for the last playoff spot, it also dropped the Brewers to a tie with the Mets, and since they lost the season series to the Mets as of now the Mets would get the division win and the bye. Both teams still have to play the Dodgers to close the season - so the Brewers will have to do better than the Mets do in that series to take the division.

The Dodgers need to get credit for only a 4-8 record or better to pass the Padres and claim the Western Division and the bye since they beat the Padres 5 games to 1 in the season for the tie-breaker.

If the Dodgers fail to get to 4 wins against the Mets and Reds, then they can go back and play the Arizona Diamondbacks in one of both of the games we skipped in divisional play since they were so far ahead.

 

Pos	Cincy Batters	HR	SB	OPS
ss	Elly De La Cruz	31-34	AAA	0.844
1b	Christian Encarnacion-Strand	27-32	D	0.791
3B	Noelvi Marte	27-31	B	0.676
lf	Austin Hays	27-32	D	0.754
CF	TJ Friedl	26	B	0.717
C	Jose Trevino	27	E	0.644
DH	Spencer Steer	25-26	B	0.759
RF	Jake Fraley	27	A	0.702
2b	Matt McLain	25-27	B	0.799
Pos	MKE Batters	HR	SB	OPS
LF	Christian Yelich	26-31	A	0.79
2b	Caleb Durbin	18-22	B	0.727
DH	Jackson Chourio	31-34	A	0.759
C	William Contreras	27-32	C	0.796
1b	Rhys Hoskins	18-25	D	0.765
CF	Sal Frelick	34	B	0.719
3b	Joey Ortiz	27-28	B	0.707
ss	Brice Turang	31-32	A	0.681
LF	Jake Bauers	18-24	A	0.715
PB	Cincy Pitchers	K	MaxIP	ERA
2'-8	Andrew Abbott	26-46	6	4.67
2'-6	Brent Suter	27-42	2	4.43
2'-7	Nick Lodolo	25-41	5.3	3.8
4'-7	Graham Ashcraft	26-41	7	4.73
PB	MKE Pitchers	K	MaxIP	ERA
2'-7	Aaron Ashby	24-41	6	4.22
2'-7	Nick Mears	23-44	2	3.8
2'-7	Abner Uribe	22-43	2	3.74
4'-7	Quinn Priester	26-41	6	4.46
2'-8	Chad Patrick	26-42	6	4.38
4'-7	Jared Koenig	25-42	2	3.9
2'-9	Trevor Megill	24-45	1	3.37
2'-6	Craig Yoho	23-45	2	3.55
2'-5	Grant Anderson	24-43	2	4.56