As heard on WHOW, Luis Robert homered twice, Reynaldo Lopez pitched two-hit ball over a season-high six innings and the Chicago White Sox beat Cincinnati 7-1 Tuesday night as the Reds were eliminated from postseason contention.
The Reds (82-76) had won four straight but were knocked out of the NL playoff hunt mid-game when the St. Louis Cardinals beat Milwaukee to lock up the second wild card.
The White Sox (90-68), who clinched the AL Central last Thursday, have won three straight. They remain 2 1/2 games behind Houston for home-field advantage in the first round of the AL Division Series.
Yoan Moncada and Gavin Sheets also homered for the White Sox. Sheets, who connected off Luis Cessa in the fourth, added an RBI single during a two-run sixth.
Lopez (4-3) didn't walk a batter and hasn't issued a walk over his last 11 1/3 innings. After allowing a single to Joey Votto to start the second, Lopez retired his next 10 batters.
Eugenio Suarez ended Lopez's shutout bid with his 30th homer with one out in the fifth. Suarez joined teammates Votto and Nick Castellanos in the 30-homer club.
Sonny Gray (7-8, 3.99) will oppose the White Sox on Wednesday night. Gray is 4-0 with a 2.93 ERA lifetime in seven career starts against Chicago. Carlos Rodon (12-5, 2.47) will face the Reds. Rodon is 4-0 with a 2.35 in his last five starts but has pitched only once since Sept. 10 due to left shoulder fatigue.
