CINCINNATI -- Chris Sale is the favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award. But Spencer Schwellenbach has arguably been the most valuable member of the Braves¡¯ rotation.

As Schwellenbach extended his rookie success in a 7-1 win over the Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park, there was again reason to wonder where the Braves would be without him. The 24-year-old hurler began the season at the High-A level and now finds himself doing all he can to keep Atlanta¡¯s postseason hopes alive.

¡°He wasn¡¯t on any of the players¡¯ radar when he came up,¡± Braves catcher Travis d¡¯Arnaud said. ¡°We heard great things, like he was a strike-thrower, but we didn¡¯t know how complete of a pitcher he really was.¡±

Schwellenbach¡¯s strong six-inning effort helped end a rough three-game losing streak for the Braves, who remained two games behind both the Mets and the D-backs in the battle for the National League¡¯s third and final Wild Card spot.

¡°He¡¯s special,¡± Marcell Ozuna said. ¡°He¡¯s been amazing as a rookie.¡±

Ozuna ended his nearly monthlong homerless streak with a seventh-inning solo shot that proved to be the game-winner. Ozuna¡¯s 38th homer of the year was his first in a span of 98 at-bats going back to Aug. 20. The veteran slugger added a double in the eighth to secure his second straight 100-RBI season. He¡¯s the first Braves right-handed batter to reach the century mark in consecutive seasons since Jeff Francoeur in 2006 and ¡®07.

Ozuna is going to draw MVP votes and Sale might end up leading MLB in wins, ERA and strikeouts. But there hasn¡¯t been a Braves player who has filled a significant void better than Schwellenbach, who has posted a 3.61 ERA over the 19 starts he has made since making his unexpected MLB debut in May.

That¡¯s not bad for anybody, especially somebody who entered this season having made 16 starts above the high school level. Given Schwellenbach totaled just 65 innings as he returned from Tommy John surgery last season, there has been an expectation he would fatigue down the stretch this year.

But he has just continued to get better, despite totaling 154 2/3 innings between the big league and Minor League levels this year. He has a 2.63 ERA over his past five starts and a 2.75 ERA over his past 10 starts.

¡°We¡¯ve called him in a couple times just to make sure, and he¡¯s convinced everybody by saying, ¡®I¡¯ve never felt better,¡¯¡± Braves manager Brian Snitker said. ¡°There¡¯s no sign that he¡¯s slowing down.¡±

Schwellenbach actually feels like he is benefiting from a second wind.

¡°I kind of feel like I hit a new wave,¡± Schwellenbach said. ¡°I guess the last month of the season, you get an extra gear there.¡±

Sale, Reynaldo L¨®pez and Max Fried represented Atlanta¡¯s rotation at this year¡¯s All-Star Game. They have provided significant value. But the stability Schwellenbach has brought in Spencer Strider¡¯s absence is a key reason the injury-depleted Braves remain in the thick of the playoff chase with just 10 games remaining.

Schwellenbach will likely draw a start during next week¡¯s big three-game series against the Mets. Before this year, the biggest games he experienced came while he played in front of approximately 13,000 fans during NCAA Regional games, while serving as the University of Nebraska¡¯s shortstop and closer.

But his limited history indicates he won¡¯t be fazed. Here is how he has fared against the teams with the NL¡¯s best six records:

Phillies: 18 1/3 innings, five earned runs
Dodgers: Six innings, two earned runs
Padres: Seven innings, one earned run
Mets: Seven innings, zero earned runs
Brewers and D-backs: No starts

¡°These are the games I want to pitch in,¡± Schwellenbach said.

Schwellenbach¡¯s poise is as impressive as the effectiveness of his six-pitch mix. He didn¡¯t blink when Jorge Soler misplayed a Jonathan India double into a two-out triple in the third inning. And when Soler misplayed an Elly De La Cruz double into a leadoff triple in the sixth, the young hurler minimized damage. TJ Friedl¡¯s one-out squeeze bunt accounted for the inning¡¯s only run.

¡°He¡¯s diligent with his training and all of that,¡± Snitker said. ¡°The sky is the limit for a guy like that.¡±