Reds remain in contention for NL wild card spot after destroying Pirates

“I’d be lying if I said Nick and I weren’t competing. Competition is in our nature. When he drives in runs it doesn’t affect me. I still have my chances,” Votto said. “I’m taking more chances and with that comes more outs but I knew I could hit more home runs and drive in more runs.”

The Reds pulled within 5 1/2 games of idle St. Louis for the second wild card. The Cardinals (87-69) need just one more win to secure the spot.

“It is tough to see anything when your overall goal is to make the postseason,” manager David Bell said of the team’s winning record. “Maybe when it’s all over we can enjoy the winning season.”

The 38-year-old Votto made a successful return to the lineup after missing two games with a sore left knee.

The first baseman hit a two-run shot off Connor Overton (0-1) during the Reds’ four-run first inning and then connected for another two-run drive against Cody Ponce in the fourth. The six-time All-Star has 35 homers and 96 RBIs in his best season since he nearly won a second NL MVP award in 2017.

“I could have hit 50 home runs in my prime but I didn’t think it was as productive for the team,” Votto said. “I wanted to do what Juan Soto is doing, get on base a lot with a high average.”

Castellanos hit two sacrifice flies before belting his 33rd homer in the sixth, a three-run shot to center.

Reiver Sanmartin pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball for Cincinnati in his big league debut. The 25-year-old lefthander struck out five and walked one in the makeup of a rainout last week.

“I was very impressed with Sanmartin,” Bell said. “It was just like we’ve heard about him. He threw strikes. I’m sure he enjoyed every minute of it.”

Cleveland plays final home game as Indians

As they’ve done in countless ninth innings over decades, fans in Progressive Field stood to cheer during the final three outs.

It was different this time . They chanted “Let’s Go Indians!”

One last time.

The Indians won their final home game before becoming the Guardians, beating the Kansas City Royals 8-3 to close a run that started in 1915 and will continue next season with a new look and identity.

Amed Rosario homered and Cal Quantrill (8-3) pitched six strong innings to delight a Progressive Field crowd of 13,121 that came to see their team play with Indians written across their jerseys for the final time.

“Not all of us have been here for a long time, but we all respect what the Indians have meant to Cleveland for the last forever and I think we wanted to send people off on the right note,” said Quantrill, who is 8-1 since July 1.

The home finale was the club’s final game in Cleveland as the Indians, ending a 106-year run in a city where the name will forever be attached to those of legendary players like Bob Feller, Larry Doby, and Jim Thome.

But now the Indians are a memory, just not yet faded or distant.

The team announced the name change earlier this year in the wake of a nationwide reckoning over racist names and symbols. For some, the change was overdue. Others still aren’t ready.

White Sox get past Tigers

Eloy Jiménez hit a two-run home run, Yasmani Grandal homered to spark a six-run fourth inning and the AL Central champion Chicago White Sox held off the Detroit Tigers in a testy 8-7 win.

The benches cleared after Chicago first baseman Jose Abreu and Detroit shortstop Niko Goodrum exchanged words when Abreu was tagged out attempting to steal second base in the ninth.

Abreu had been hit by a pitch from Alex Lange one inning after the Tigers’ Isaac Paredes was hit by a pitch. There were no ejections regarding the altercation, though White Sox bench coach Miguel Cairo was tossed for arguing after Abreu was hit.

Chicago manager Tony La Russa insinuated that Abreu was plunked intentionally.

“It seems they have issues when someone plays aggressively but not when they pitch aggressively and beyond the limits,” he said. “The game is played two ways, not just one way.”

Lange said he wasn’t trying to hit Abreu in a one-run game.

“He’s leaning out over the plate. He sees I’m working away,” Lange said. “Our report says finish up-and-in and that’s where I was going. Obviously, it wasn’t intentional. I’m pitching to my report.”

Giants Brandon Belt has broken thumb

Giants first baseman and home run leader Brandon Belt has a broken left thumb and his availability for the final week of the regular season and playoffs is unclear.

The Giants said an X-ray showed the broken bone and that Belt will “continue to meet with doctors over the next couple of days to develop a recovery plan and timetable for his return.”

The injury is a big blow for the NL West leaders, who begin a home series with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night still seeking to close out their first division title since 2012. The Dodgers are two games back to start the season’s last week.

Belt exited a 6-2 win at Colorado on Sunday in the seventh inning after getting hit on the left hand with a pitch while squaring to bunt.

The 33-year-old Belt is batting .274 with a career-high 29 homers and 59 RBIs.