Suarez helps Reds turn back Brewers
The Reds aren’t wilting in their first exposure to September playoff pressure in many years.
Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run homer, Luis Castillo won his fourth straight start, and streaking Cincinnati moved above .500 for the first time since opening day, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 Monday night.
The Reds (28-27) won for the eighth time in nine games, a season-best surge that’s put them back in playoff contention. They’re chasing the Cardinals for second place in the National League Central.
“The whole team is working perfectly,” Castillo said. “We’ve won eight out of nine. Everything is going our way.”
The Reds are coming off six losing seasons and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2013. They spent $156 million in the offseason — one of the majors’ biggest splurges — to try to reverse course.
And now, they’ve got their chance. “The last few games we’ve played like this is our year,” Suarez said. “We’ve got to play all the rest of the games like they’re also playoff games.”
Suarez connected in the sixth inning. He fell behind 0-2 in the count, barely fouled off a pitch, then hit his 14th homer off a fastball.
The Reds pulled away in the eighth against Drew Rasmussen. Curt Casali led off with a homer and Mike Moustakas added a three-run shot.
Castillo (4-5) has gotten back into form as the shortened season has gone along, winning his last four starts with a 1.25 ERA over that span. He gave up four hits and fanned nine in 6.2 innings.
“He’s not afraid of any situation,” manager David Bell said. “He loves being out there in big games. It was just a big start in a big game.”
Indians close in on playoff spot
Carlos Santana’s two-run homer snapped a fifth-inning tie, and Jose Ramirez homered again as Cleveland moved closer to clinching a postseason spot — and slowed Chicago’s push for the American League Central title — with a 7-4 win over the White Sox on Monday night.
The Indians, who missed the playoffs a year ago, cut their magic number to one. They could have locked up one of the AL’S eight postseason spots, but Seattle beat Houston 6-1 to prolong Cleveland’s wait.
By winning the series opener, Cleveland improved to 5-2 this season against the White Sox, who are on the verge of winning their first division crown since 2008. It’s possible the rivals could meet again next week in the playoffs depending on how the final days of the regular season unfold.
After the White Sox tied it with four runs in the fifth against Aaron Civale (4-5), Santana came to the plate in the bottom half batting just .189 after striking out in his two previous at-bats.
But with Ramirez on first after a oneout walk, Santana pulled a 2-1 sinker from Jace Fry (0-1) over the left-field wall and into the empty bleachers. Franmil Reyes hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to put Cleveland up 7-4.
Nick Wittgren struck out the side in the seventh and James Karinchak worked the eighth before Brad Hand pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 14 tries. He struck out slugger Jose Abreu for the final out with two runners on.