The Cincinnati Reds fell short of a playoff spot Thursday night, losing 10-9 to the St. Louis Cardinals after a costly error by outfielder Dane Myers in the bottom of the ninth inning. The loss leaves the Reds on the outside looking for a postseason berth for the fifth time in six seasons.
Game recap
St. Louis entered the ninth trailing 5-3. The Cardinals responded with a six‑run outburst in the top of the inning, seizing a 9-5 lead. The Reds rallied in the bottom half, scoring four runs to narrow the gap to 9-9 and set up a dramatic finish.
With two outs and the winning run at the plate, Myers fielded a fly ball that should have ended the game. A momentary lapse – a miscommunication with a teammate and a dropped ball – gave the Cardinals an extra baserunner and the decisive run. The error turned a potential Reds victory into a Cardinals win.
Implications for the standings
The Cardinals improve to 2.5 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild‑card spot. San Diego recently secured a thriller over the New York Mets, bolstering their own position. St. Louis must continue to win against the Arizona Diamondbacks and other opponents if they hope to overtake the Padres.
For Cincinnati, the loss compounds a season that has seen the team miss the playoffs repeatedly. The Reds also squandered a grand slam opportunity from Matt McLain earlier in the game, adding to the disappointment.
Looking ahead
Both clubs will finish the regular season with a handful of games remaining. The Reds must regroup quickly if they hope to stay in contention for a wild‑card berth, while the Cardinals will aim to sustain the offensive surge that has kept their postseason hopes alive.
Baseball’s unpredictable nature was on full display Thursday, reminding fans that a single play can swing a game’s outcome dramatically. Reds supporters will remember the heroics of outfielder Dane Myers on Monday, when he hit a game‑tying home run with two outs in the ninth, only to see the same player become the focal point of a heartbreaking error a few days later.
Original reporting: All Sports Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
