MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — Sal Stewart homered and hit an RBI single, Miguel Andujar went 3 for 5 and the Cincinnati Reds moved a step closer to their first postseason berth since 2020 by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 on Saturday night at American Family Field.

The Reds will earn the National League’s third and final wild-card playoff spot if they beat the Brewers or the New York Mets lose to the Miami Marlins on Sunday. A Reds loss and Mets win would send New York to the playoffs instead. That third wild-card team will head to Los Angeles to begin a best-of-three matchup with the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Cincinnati improved to 83-79, while the NL Central champion Brewers fell to 98-65.

A six-run third inning proved decisive for the Reds, who sent 11 batters to the plate. The rally began with a Milwaukee miscue, as Noelvi Marte reached on a throwing error by starting pitcher Robert Gasser. Andujar followed with a double, and Stewart drove in the first run with a single.

After a strikeout and a walk loaded the bases, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a soft RBI single. Matt McLain then drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run. TJ Friedl capped the outburst with a three-run single that was compounded by a throwing error from left fielder Isaac Collins, allowing all three runners to score.

Milwaukee answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout from Christian Yelich and a run-scoring double from Brice Turang.

Stewart provided a critical insurance run for the Reds in the sixth inning, launching a solo home run to right-center field. The Brewers again responded in their half of the sixth, with Jackson Chourio leading off with a solo homer. Later in the inning, Jake Bauers delivered an RBI single to pull Milwaukee within three runs.

The Reds’ bullpen, however, shut the door from there. Nick Martinez worked two scoreless innings in relief of starter Andrew Abbott, and Emilio Pagán pitched a perfect ninth to secure his 32nd save of the season.

Abbott earned the win to improve to 10-7, allowing three earned runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. Gasser took the loss, falling to 0-2, after being charged with four unearned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

The game was played in 3 hours, 8 minutes before a crowd of 40,801. The teams conclude their regular seasons on Sunday.