The hottest team in baseball extended their winning streak to seven games Saturday. The Cincinnati Reds -- the Reds! -- defeated the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park (CIN 10, HOU 3) to move to within a half-game of first place in the NL Central. The seven-game winning streak is Cincinnati's longest since a seven-gamer in June 2018.
"It's amazing. Got the series win on that too. Makes it a little better," outfielder Will Benson, who went 3 for 3 with a triple and two walks Saturday, said after the win. "... This team is -- we're up to something. I just want to be a part of it, and I'm thankful that I can do that."
Saturday's 10-3 score gives the impression of a blowout, though it was a reasonably close game until the Reds broke it open with a four-run ninth inning. Jonathan India went deep, Benson had a two-run single, Matt McLain had a two-run triple and Hunter Greene held the Yordan Alvarez-less Astros to two runs in six innings.
Cincinnati's hot streak goes back further than these last seven games. With Saturday's win, the Reds have now won 10 of their last 12 games and 15 of their last 21 games. They have the National League's best record since May 21. This is the same team that started the season 7-15. Now they're 36-35 and right behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the division.
The division title is Cincinnati's best chance at a postseason berth. The Reds are two games behind the third and final wild-card spot, and the NL East and NL West are much stronger than the NL Central. Also, the Reds still have nine games remaining with the Brewers -- all nine will be played in a 16-game span next month -- giving them control of their division destiny.
The Reds will send Luke Weaver (1-2, 6.23 ERA) to the mound Sunday afternoon looking for the sweep in Houston. They have not won eight games in a row since a 10-game winning streak in 2012. The Astros will counter with Ronel Blanco (1-0, 3.86 ERA).
Cincinnati has not gone to the postseason since the 60-game pandemic season in 2020. They have not been to the postseason in a full 162-game season since 2013, and they have not won a postseason game since the 2012 NLDS.
