The Reds showed Sunday with their 37th comeback victory they still have fight in them, something they’ll need in the last seven weeks of the season. They lost 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday but rallied from a 5-3 deficit and won the second game 6-5 in 10 innings.
“It was just a game where we absolutely found a way to win,” Bell said. “It took everyone. Everyone contributed. Rarely is it easy or pretty. Today it was a grind. That’s what it takes. Usually, that’s exactly what you have to do. I thought because of that it was an even better win. It was a great win.”
The Reds won the series 2-1 after losing three straight series. They enjoyed an off-day Monday and play the Cleveland Guardians (57-62) on Tuesday and Wednesday in 6:40 p.m. games at Great American Ball Park before getting another break Thursday.
Graham Ashcraft (6-7, 4.95 ERA) will start Tuesday against Cleveland’s Logan Allen (5-5, 3.55). Andrew Abbott (6-3, 2.93) will oppose Noah Syndergaard (2-5, 6.35) on Wednesday.
The Reds and Guardians have split 10 games over the last two seasons. Since the start of interleague play in 1997, Cleveland leads the series 71-56.
With 42 games remaining, the Reds have a 22.8% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs.com. They have a 6.4% chance of winning the division, a 16.3% chance of winning a wild card and a 0.1% chance of clinching one of the top two seeds in the National League and a bye into the second round.
“We have a long way to go,” manager David Bell told reporters Sunday. “Our goal is to get a lot more wins.”
The Reds host Toronto for a three-game series beginning Friday then embark on a 10-game West Coast road trip Aug. 21-30 at the Angels, Diamondbacks and Giants.
TUESDAY’S GAME
Guardians at Reds, 6:40 p.m., Bally Sports Ohio, 700, 1410
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