The Cincinnati Reds are in the thick of a playoff push. The team entered Friday’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers one game behind the New York Mets for the final NL Wild Card berth. With the Reds' first trip to the postseason in five years at stake, every at-bat takes on extra meaning. And sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Brewers starter Quinn Priester was dealing in a 1-1 game. But the Reds took the lead on Miguel Andujar’s RBI single in the sixth inning. Then Elly De La Cruz stepped in and slapped a 91 mph sinker up the middle. But the sharply hit ball caromed off second base and made a sudden left turn into shallow left field.

The Brewers actually were in the perfect defensive alignment for the play. De La Cruz might have had a single up the middle under normal circumstances. But shortstop Joey Ortiz was standing right over second base, ready to turn a double play.

However, the ball caught the corner of the bag and bounced directly to where the shortstop would normally be playing.

Reds move into tie for final NL Wild Card berth

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) hits a single in the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park.
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
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Milwaukee’s alignment on the play left a large void on the left side of the infield. This not only allowed De La Cruz to reach on an infield single but also gave Andujar the opportunity to advance to third. The Reds were set up with runners at the corners and no outs.

The odd hit chased Priester from the game as the Brewers gave the ball to Nick Mears. De La Cruz stole second, his 37th swipe of the season, and Andujar scored on a Tyler Stephenson sacrifice fly. The two-run inning gave the Reds a 3-1 lead.

Cincinnati’s bullpen would hold Milwaukee in check over the final three frames and the Reds got a much-needed win. With the Mets losing to the Miami Marlins Friday, Cincinnati moved into a tie for the third NL Wild Card berth.

De La Cruz has struggled in September, slashing .213/.308/.350 with two home runs, eight RBI and seven runs scored in 22 games this month entering Friday’s matchup. However, De La Cruz broke a long home run drought with a bomb during the Reds’ sweep of the Cubs and he added another long ball in the Pirates series.

Cincinnati is now one win and one Mets loss away from reaching the playoffs. It would be the team’s first postseason appearance since 2020 and just their second playoff appearance in the last 12 years.