Each game the Cincinnati Reds play over the next week will be their most important to date, including a series finale against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon.

With seven games remaining, the Reds (79-76) trail the New York Mets by a game for the National League's final wild-card spot. Winners in four straight -- including three in a row against the Cubs -- Cincinnati has put itself in position to potentially snap its four-year postseason drought.

The Reds hope their Sunday starter Andrew Abbott (9-7, 2.88 ERA) can find some consistency down the stretch. The 26-year-old lefty surrendered five runs through 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the New York Mets to begin September, which he followed with a dominant eight-inning, one-run outing against the San Diego Padres.

Last time out

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