Did someone forget to tell the Cincinnati Reds how hard their late-season schedule is?
It would appear so as the last-place Reds have begun their stretch of 25 straight games against teams currently in playoff position in full spoiler mode.
It started by winningtwo of three over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Then, on Wednesday, Sept. 2, the Reds took the rubber game against the San Diego Padres, 7-3, in front of 14,632 fans on a sun-splashed afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
The Reds (67-73) have now won consecutive series for just the third time during the second half of the regular season. Cincinnati
went 6-3 over a three-city road trip out of the MLB All-Star break and later had a 6-1 stretch against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Athletics at home from July 30-Aug. 6.
The Padres entered Sept. 2 with a half-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League's final wild card spot.
In a month about evaluating what the 2027 roster could look like, a Reds offense that entered ranked last in the National League in batting average (.228), hits per game (7.58) and 24th overall in scoring got contributions outside of its heavy hitters in the Sept. 2 series finale.
Trailing 3-0 in the second inning, the Reds put four runs on the board without Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart or JJ Bleday coming to the plate.
Tyler Stephenson worked a leadoff walk, and Dane Myers followed with a single. Juan Brito then launched his first career big league home run − a three-run game-tying blast to right field off of Detroit starter Casey Mize.
Three batters later, Héctor Rodríguez’s late-summer surge continued with his fifth homer in his last 10 games to put the Reds in front, 4-3.
While Stewart went 0 for 4 (ending a 16-game streak of reaching base safely), Bleday and De La Cruz (2 for 4) would help the Reds pull away with insurance runs. Bleday bunted for a hit to start the sixth and came around to score on Matt McLain’s sacrifice fly. One inning later, Bleday’s 22nd homer of the year made it seven unanswered Cincinnati runs.
Brandon Williamson settles in, gets win in return to Cincinnati Reds rotation
One of the question marks regarding the club’s 2027 pitching staff returned Sept. 2 as Brandon Williamson made his first start since April 29 (shoulder fatigue).
Williamson, who missed all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, was hurt by some former teammates early on. Ty France, acquired by Cincinnati at the 2024 deadline, lifted a two-run homer that barely cleared the left-field wall in the first inning to give the Padres an early 2-0 lead.
Austin Hays, who played in 103 games for the Reds last year, led off the second inning with a double to right field. He came around to score on a Fernando TatÍs Jr. single. Williamson avoided further damage in the second inning when Bleday made a running catch on the warning track to rob Jackson Merrill of a potential two-run, extra-base hit.
After a France single to begin the third, Williamson retired eight consecutive San Diego hitters and worked into the sixth inning. He turned it over to Pierce Johnson, who stranded the tying and go-ahead run on base by striking out Dustin Harris and getting Luis Campusano to fly out.
Tejay Antone, Tony Santillan and Emilio Pagán combined for three shutout innings from there, and Williamson had his first victory since April 17.
Cincinnati Reds continue homestand againstMilwaukee Brewers
The Reds' murderers' row September slate rolls on this weekend when the Milwaukee Brewers visit Great American Ball Park.
The Reds will play 13 straight games against the Brewers and Los Angles Dodgers, which own the two best records in the National League.
The Reds visit LA for a three-game series Sept. 7-9, then are in Milwaukee for three more with the Brewers Sept. 11-13. The Dodgers then visit Cincinnati four a four-game series, beginning Monday, Sept. 14.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds rally from early deficit for series win over Padres
