Spencer Steer Powers Cincinnati Reds Past Chicago Cubs 6-3, Boosting NL Wild-Card Hopes – Game Recap 9/20/2025

Saturday, September 20th, 2025

Cincinnati Reds Defeat Chicago Cubs 6-3, Narrow NL Wild Card Gap

The Cincinnati Reds powered to a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs, tightening the race for the National League wild-card spot on Saturday night at Great American Ball Park. With this win, the Reds (79-76) moved just one game behind the New York Mets for the final wild-card position, holding the tiebreaker advantage over New York. The Cubs, meanwhile, have already clinched a postseason berth by securing the top wild card but have now dropped three straight following their clinch.

Home Run Barrage Fuels Reds' Win

Spencer Steer continued his red-hot run by launching his fourth home run in as many games, sending a first-pitch fastball over the left-center field wall for a crucial go-ahead shot in the fifth inning. Steer now leads Cincinnati with 21 homers and has gone 6-for-14 with four home runs and 10 RBI in his past four games. Teammates TJ Friedl and Tyler Stephenson also homered, contributing to the Reds’ fourth consecutive victory.

For the Cubs, Michael Busch and Reese McGuire provided some power of their own, each hitting solo home runs. McGuire’s homer in the fifth tied the game at 2 before Steer answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning.

Reds Bullpen and Zack Littell Step Up

Reds starter Zack Littell (10-8) turned in a solid performance, continuing his strong form since arriving via trade from Tampa Bay. Littell has gone 2-0 with a 4.62 ERA in nine starts for Cincinnati and has allowed three or fewer runs in 20 of his last 28 outings. Emilio Pagán closed out the win, notching his 29th save in 35 opportunities.

Key Moment

Cincinnati outfielder Austin Hays saw his impressive 15-game on-base streak come to an end as he exited in the fifth inning with back spasms.

Key Stat

Zack Littell has maintained consistency, limiting opponents to three runs or fewer in the majority of his recent starts, a key factor in the Reds' playoff push.

Up Next

The series finale will see Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (10-6, 3.93 ERA) face off against Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (9-7, 2.88 ERA). Cincinnati will be aiming for its first four-game sweep of the Cubs since 2018 as the regular season winds down and the playoff race intensifies.

In summary

The Cincinnati Reds climbed closer to a National League wild-card spot with a home victory over the Chicago Cubs, fueled by another home run from Spencer Steer and strong outings from Zack Littell and the bullpen. As the race for the playoff spot tightens, Cincinnati looks to continue its winning streak and complete a four-game sweep in the next matchup. Keep following for the latest updates on this exciting playoff race and in-depth MLB game coverage.

MLB Schedules

Today's MLB Games

There are no baseball games today.

Tomorrow's MLB Games

There are no baseball games tomorrow.

Yesterday's MLB Games

There were no baseball games yesterday.