On Off The Bench and The Stone Shields Show today we discuss the Reds crushing loss to the Pirates last night, Paul Skenes vs. Hunter Greene tonight, the latest Bengals news and more!

Off The Bench is back weekdays from 10a to 11a followed by The Stone Shields Show from 11a to noon!

In a gut-wrenching setback for Cincinnati's playoff dreams, the Reds fell 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park, snapping their five-game winning streak and dropping them a full game behind the New York Mets for the NL's final wild-card spot. The loss couldn't have come at a worse time, with only a handful of games left in the regular season and the Reds clinging to faint postseason hopes.

The game unraveled early for Reds starter Brady Singer, who imploded in the second inning, surrendering four runs on five hits—including a two-run homer from Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz—that chased him after just 1.1 innings. Singer's command faltered, ballooning his season ERA to 3.95 and leaving Cincinnati in an early hole. Pittsburgh's Johan Oviedo, making his eighth start, steadied the ship for the visitors, allowing just two runs over five innings despite a shaky Reds lineup.

Cincinnati clawed back briefly when sparkplug shortstop Elly De La Cruz crushed a 415-foot two-run homer in the bottom of the second, his second blast in as many games after ending a 43-game drought. But the Reds' offense sputtered thereafter, stranding runners in key spots, including a bases-loaded threat in the sixth snuffed out by rookie reliever Hunter Barco's debut gem. The bullpen held firm, but it wasn't enough against a Pirates squad playing spoiler.

Tonight's game (6:40 p.m. ET) pits two of baseball's brightest young arms in a must-win for Cincinnati: Reds ace Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.74 ERA) versus Pirates phenom Paul Skenes (10-10, 2.03 ERA). Greene, the flamethrowing righty, has been lights-out lately, fanning 10+ in four of his last five starts, but faces a tall order against Skenes—the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young frontrunner—who's chasing a sub-2.00 ERA in his final outing. Expect triple-digit heat, high drama, and a low-scoring affair that could swing the wild-card fate.

Amid the baseball buzz, Cincinnati sports mourns the tragic loss of Bengals legend Rudi Johnson, who died by suicide at 45 on Tuesday, per police reports. The fourth-round pick (2001) became a Pro Bowl powerhouse, holding the franchise single-season rushing record (1,458 yards in 2005) and ranking fourth all-time with 5,742 yards. Teammates like Carson Palmer hailed his "joyful presence," while Chad Johnson tweeted a heartfelt tribute. Bengals president Mike Brown called him a "dear friend" and "excellent running back." Johnson's foundation aided local causes, leaving a legacy beyond the field. RIP, Rudy—your spirit endures.

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/

#Reds #Bengals #HunterGreene