Cincinnati Reds Edge Chicago Cubs 1-0 to Tie Mets for NL Wild Card Spot – Game Recap & Highlights (Sept. 21, 2025)

Sunday, September 21st, 2025

Cincinnati Reds Edge Chicago Cubs 1-0, Move Into Wild Card Tie

The Cincinnati Reds continued their impressive late-season surge with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs, moving into a tie with the New York Mets for the final National League wild card spot.

Reds Extend Winning Streak

The Reds have now won a season-high five straight games and six out of their last seven. Their surge in the standings coincided with the Mets losing to the Nationals earlier in the day, allowing Cincinnati to catch up in the wild card race.

Pitching Shines After Rain Delay

Sunday's game at Cincinnati was delayed for one hour and 11 minutes due to rain, but the pitching staffs on both sides were undeterred. Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits before turning the game over to the bullpen. Nick Martinez earned the win with 2 1/3 shutout innings, while Graham Ashcraft tossed a scoreless eighth inning to help preserve the lead.

How the Reds Scored

The game's only run came in the third inning. Matt McLain doubled and was driven home by Gavin Lux's two-out double to right field, putting the Reds ahead 1-0. Lux finished the day with two of the Reds’ five hits off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon, who took the loss despite pitching seven strong innings with no walks and four strikeouts.

Cubs Threaten, Reds Hold Steady

The Cubs mounted several rallies but came up empty. They left runners on first and second with no outs in the third and stranded runners on the corners in the fourth. In the ninth, Chicago loaded first and second with two outs, but Tony Santillan struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong to notch his seventh save and seal the shutout win for Cincinnati.

Pitching Powers Reds in Series

This marks the second 1-0 win for the Reds in the four-game set against the Cubs. In the series opener, Hunter Greene pitched a complete-game shutout to set the tone for Cincinnati’s dominant pitching performance throughout the week.

Key Moments

Chicago had prime scoring opportunities early but could not capitalize against Abbott in the third and fourth innings, leaving crucial runners on base and missing their best chances to take the lead.

Key Stat

Since losing to the Mets on September 5 and falling six games back in the playoff race, Cincinnati has gone 10-5 while New York has stumbled, dropping 11 of their last 15 games.

Up Next

The Cubs will turn to right-hander Cade Horton (11-4, 2.66 ERA) as they open a series against the Mets on Tuesday. The Reds will send right-hander Brady Singer (14-10, 3.86 ERA) to the mound as they host the Pirates for their next series opener.

In summary

The Cincinnati Reds’ 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs extends their season-high winning streak and secures a tie for the final National League wild card spot. Strong pitching and clutch hitting from Matt McLain and Gavin Lux propelled the Reds, while the Cubs squandered key scoring opportunities. As the playoff race tightens, both teams shift their focus to important series openers later in the week.

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