Robert, Lopez lift White Sox over eliminated Reds 7-1

CHICAGO (AP) — 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 started the day 2 1/2 games behind Houston for home-field advantage in the first round of the AL Division Series.

Robert paced a four-homer attack, marking the 12th time the White Sox have hit at least four home runs in a game and tying a franchise record set in 2006. They have hit at least four homers in a game 10 times since June 30.

Robert has hit 11 home runs in 39 games since returning from the injured list Aug. 9. He hit a solo shot in the first off Riley O’Brien, who was making his major league debut. Robert added a two-run shot in the eighth off Amir Garrett.

Yoan Moncada and Gavin Sheets also homered for the White Sox. Sheets, who hit a homer 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.

This was Lopez’s longest outing since he pitched eight innings in a 7-1 win over Detroit in the first game of a doubleheader on Sept. 28, 2019.

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. This marked the fifth time in franchise history that a trio of Reds have hit at least...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Robert-Lopez-lift-White-Sox-over-eliminated-Reds-16495191.php