Win the game or put themselves in a pickle, falling farther behind the Cubs in their quest for the third wild card spot.
And the worst-case scenario unfolded, a disheartening 7-5 loss to the Pirates that dropped the Reds 1 1/2 games behind the Cubs. Miami is one game behind the Cubs.
The lead changed hands six times in a wild and poorly played game by both sides, but the Pirates ended up with the upper hand.
The Pirates hit two of their four solo home runs in the sixth inning to grab a 4-3 lead, TJ Friedl, who was on base five straight times, unloaded a two-run home in the home sixth to give the Reds a 5-4 lead.
Home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman aided the Reds when it appeared Luke Maile had taken a strike three. But Dreckman called it a ball and Maile blooped a single to right. Friedl then homered.
But the lead was to change hands a sixth and final time in the Pittsburgh seventh against Ian Gibaut.
Ji Hwan Bae grounded to second and Jonathan India tried to short-hop it, but it skipped off his glove into right field. It was ruled an error, but later changed to an infield hit.
With one out, Bryan Reynolds singled and Ke’Bryan Hayes singled home Bae. Miguel Andujar hit a double play ball to India, but shortstop Elly De La Cruz threw wildly to first and Reynolds scored to make it 7-5.
The Reds desperately tried for a seventh lead change in the ninth against Pittsburgh closer David Bednar, who was wilder than a Pamplona bull.
His first six pitches were balls and the first four gave Friedl a walk. Spencer Steer grounded to third and Hayes tried for a 5-4-3 double play. Friedl, though, beat his throw to second, the second time in the game Friedl beat a double play ground ball to second base.
That put the potential tying runs on base with no outs. But Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit into a double play. Bednar then walked Joey Votto on a full count, putting runners on third and first.
But it ended when Bednar struck out Noelvi Marte on four pitches, his 37th save in 40 chances and 14th straight, but surely one of the wobbliest.
Both sides used seven pitchers and they threw 381 pitches, 197 by the Reds and 184 by the Pirates.
Pittsburgh did everything it could to gift wrap a win for the Reds before handing them their third straight loss and fourth in five games.
The Reds stranded the bases loaded in the first and scored a run in the second but stranded two more. In the first two innings, Pittsburgh pitchers issued four walks and hit a batter, but the Reds scored only one run.
Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott pitched three scoreless innings and struck out six.
But Hayes led off the fourth with a home run. And Henry Davis crushed only his third home run, a 431-footer in the fifth.
Buck Farmer came on to pitch in the sixth with the Reds leading, 3-2, and gave up home runs to Jared Triola, his third, and to Endy Rodriguez, his fifth, which pushed the Pirates back in front, 4-3.
Friedl’s homer in the seventh reclaimed the lead, but once again the bullpen couldn’t close the deal, ensuring the Reds would suffer their 38th blown lead this season.
The Pirates are on a hot streak with 15 wins in their last 24 games that includes taking recent series from the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Pirates at Reds, 6:40 p.m., Bally Sports Ohio, 700, 1410
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