Rain delays, playoff tension, and a pitching masterclass—Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park had it all as the Cincinnati Reds wrapped up their regular-season home slate against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fans who braved the gloomy Cincinnati weather were rewarded with a nail-biting 2-1 Reds victory, highlighted by Nick Lodolo’s electrifying performance on the mound and a game-saving catch in right field. As the postseason race heats up, every pitch and every play seemed to carry the weight of an entire season.
The day didn’t start off on a high note for the Reds faithful. The originally scheduled 12:40 p.m. first pitch was pushed back by a persistent downpour that had the tarp covering the infield for much of the morning. After a rain delay lasting 1 hour and 22 minutes, the series finale finally got underway at 2:02 p.m.—a familiar scenario for this year’s squad. In fact, the 2025 regular season has seen the Reds endure a staggering 18 hours and 54 minutes of rain delays across all games, both at home and on the road. For a team fighting for its playoff life, that’s a lot of sitting and waiting.
This game was more than just another entry in the record books—it was the final regular-season home game for the Reds, and the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Entering the contest, Cincinnati trailed the New York Mets by a single game for the National League’s last wild card spot, with only four games left to play. The Arizona Diamondbacks were locked in a tie with the Reds, but Cincinnati held the all-important tiebreakers against both the Mets and Diamondbacks. That meant if the Reds could finish in a two-way or three-way tie for the final berth, their ticket to October baseball would be punched.
But the pressure was on. The Reds had lost the first two games of the series to the Pirates, including a heartbreaker in 11 innings the previous night. Their grip on their own destiny had slipped, and with the final regular-season series set to take place at the Milwaukee Brewers’ American Family Field—a stadium with a retractable roof and no threat of further rain delays—Thursday’s game felt like a must-win.
Enter Nick Lodolo, who took the mound for the Reds and delivered one of his best performances of the season. The left-hander was simply dominant, striking out 12 Pirates over six and one-third innings. He gave up just two hits and one walk, and, most impressively, allowed no runs. Lodolo’s dozen strikeouts tied his career high, a mark he previously set against the Philadelphia Phillies back on April 8, 2023. It was his seventh career game with double-digit strikeouts—a testament to his growing reputation as a big-game pitcher.
Unfortunately, Lodolo’s outing was cut short when he exited the game in the seventh inning with a groin injury. The Reds quickly announced the move was precautionary, but the sight of their ace leaving the mound with the season on the line was enough to make even the most optimistic fans hold their breath. According to the Associated Press, Lodolo’s performance was instrumental in “helping his team move within a half-game of the New York Mets for the final NL wild card.”
With Lodolo out, the Reds’ bullpen had to step up, and the pressure only mounted as the Pirates threatened in the late innings. The game’s defining moment came in the top of the ninth, with the Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds at the plate and the tying run looming. Reynolds launched a deep drive to right, but Noelvi Marte had other plans. The Reds’ right fielder raced back to the wall and timed his leap perfectly, reaching over to snatch what looked like a game-tying home run right out of the air. The crowd erupted as Marte secured the final two outs, preserving the 2-1 win and keeping Cincinnati’s playoff hopes very much alive.
“It was a huge moment,” said a relieved member of the Reds’ coaching staff after the game, according to local reports. “That’s the kind of play you dream about in a playoff race.” The sentiment echoed throughout the clubhouse, as players and coaches alike recognized the significance of both Lodolo’s dominance and Marte’s heroics in the field.
With the win, the Reds closed the gap on the Mets to just half a game in the race for the NL’s final wild card spot. The victory also snapped a two-game skid against the Pirates and sent the home crowd home happy for the final time this regular season. For a club that’s spent nearly 19 hours waiting out the weather this year, the chance to control their own destiny—however slim—was a welcome reward.
Looking ahead, the Reds will finish the regular season with a three-game set in Milwaukee from September 26 to 28. The Brewers’ American Family Field, with its retractable roof, should ensure the games go off without a hitch—at least as far as the weather is concerned. The Reds’ marathon of rain delays is likely over, but the real storm may just be beginning as the playoff race enters its final, frantic days.
Meanwhile, the medical staff will be keeping a close eye on Lodolo’s groin injury. The Reds can ill afford to lose their ace down the stretch, especially with everything on the line. “He was taken out for precautionary reasons,” the team emphasized, hoping to quell any panic about his availability for the crucial Milwaukee series.
For the Pirates, the loss was a tough pill to swallow, especially after coming so close to a sweep in Cincinnati. Still, the young Pittsburgh squad showed plenty of fight, pushing the Reds to the brink in all three games. As the curtain falls on the regular season, the Pirates can take pride in playing spoiler and gaining valuable experience in high-pressure situations.
As for the Reds, the journey isn’t over yet. With three games left and the playoff picture still unsettled, every pitch, every swing, and every defensive gem will be magnified. Can Cincinnati ride the momentum from Thursday’s dramatic win all the way into the postseason? Only time will tell, but if this series finale was any indication, the Reds aren’t going down without a fight.
With playoff dreams hanging in the balance and a little luck finally swinging their way, the Reds now head to Milwaukee—determined, focused, and ready for one last push. The chase for October continues.
