Reds’ star is first to accomplish both feats in same game during Statcast era (since 2015)
Elly De La Cruz hits, legs out two-homer game
CINCINNATI –On Monday afternoon, there was already a complete solar eclipse above Great American Ball Park. Elly De La Cruz hit a home run against the Brewers that night that appeared high enough to cause a complete moon eclipse.
The moment De La Cruz hit his first career inside-the-park home run was much more thrilling than the original home run. The two home runs were crucial to Cincinnati’s 10-8 triumph over Milwaukee.
When I’m sprinting the bases, I feel fantastic. That’s electric,” stated De La Cruz. That excites the entire stadium, and that’s my favorite thing. The fans find that amusing. Additionally, I enjoy it.
When De La Cruz is participating in a game, you never know what to anticipate. Again, that point was emphasized.
The 22-year-old switch-hitting shortstop made AL/NL history by becoming the first player to ever hit a home run in both directions, score four runs or more, steal a base, and hit a home run inside the park in the same game, according to OptaStats.On Monday afternoon, there was already a complete solar eclipse above Great American Ball Park. Elly De La Cruz hit a home run against the Brewers that night that appeared high enough to cause a complete moon eclipse.
The moment De La Cruz hit his first career inside-the-park home run was much more thrilling than the original home run. The two home runs were crucial to Cincinnati’s 10-8 triumph over Milwaukee.
When I’m sprinting the bases, I feel fantastic. That’s electric,” stated De La Cruz. That excites the entire stadium, and that’s my favorite thing. The fans find that amusing. Additionally, I enjoy it.
When De La Cruz is participating in a game, you never know what to anticipate. Again, that point was emphasized.
The 22-year-old switch-hitting shortstop made AL/NL history by becoming the first player to ever hit a home run in both directions, score four runs or more, steal a base, and hit a home run inside the park in the same game, according to OptaStats.
Santiago Espinal’s two-run sacrifice bunt
During a six-run Reds fourth inning, De La Cruz also scored from first on a sacrifice bunt by Santiago Espinal due to a Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz error.
After four innings, Cincinnati had an 8-0 advantage and was on the verge of losing the game. Before De La Cruz hit his 450-foot shot off the batter’s eye against Brewers righty reliever J.B. Bukauskas in the fifth, the score was 8-3. It was his season’s first home run.
Elly De La Cruz hits two jaw-dropping home runs
The Reds, who lost 10 of their 13 games against the Brewers in 2023, could take nothing for granted in their first meeting of ‘24. Starter Graham Ashcraft dominated through four scoreless innings, but he surrendered six runs over the fifth and sixth innings to make it a three-run game.
It could have been worse had right Stuart Fairchild not made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Willy Adames of a homer in the sixth.
Stuart Fairchild leaps at the wall to rob home run
“It’s so important for us,” said De La Cruz, who was 3-for-4 with four runs scored. “We are trying to win games. Milwaukee, they won a lot of games against us last year so we’ve got to beat them. We put in a lot of work and we’re ready [to go] to the World Series.”
Milwaukee closed the gap to one run in the top of the seventh inning on Christian Yelich’s two-run homer to left field against reliever Justin Wilson.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh against lefty reliever Bryan Hudson, De La Cruz hit a first-pitch liner to center field. Sal Frelick made a diving attempt, but the ball hopped away from his glove and rolled to the wall.
“When I saw him missing the ball, I said, ‘I’ll go home no matter what happens,'” De La Cruz said.
By the time right fielder Jackson Chourio retrieved it, De La Cruz had already rounded second base.
Waved around by third-base coach J.R. House as the cutoff throw reached the infield, De La Cruz scored with a headfirst slide as the relay bounced off the mound and to catcher William Contreras.
Elly De La Cruz’s inside-the-park home run (2)
“Amazing,” said designated hitter Will Benson, who hit a second-inning solo home run. “Honestly, I had my eyes glued in on J.R. just to see was he going to wave him or what. As soon as he waved him, I was excited, I knew it was going to be an inside-the-park home run. Incredible.”
“As soon as it got by him, everyone was yelling, ‘home run!’ It’s an exciting play, I think, if you’re a baseball fan and enjoy every second of that,” manager David Bell said. “And it wasn’t that many seconds from home-to-home. Every second we did have, we enjoyed it.”
David Bell discusses the Reds’ 10-8 victory
According to Statcast, De La Cruz’s sprint speed was 30.1 feet-per-second and he rounded the bases in 14.96 seconds. It was the second two-homer game of De La Cruz’s short career and first since Sept. 26, 2023, at Cleveland.
In one game, De La Cruz raised his average from .242 to .297. Monday marked his first superlative 2024 performance after a lackluster first nine games in which he struck out 17 times in 33 at-bats. The Reds are hoping this is the spark that gets him going.
Data Viz: Elly De La Cruz’s first home run of 2024
“I said this last year. I think Cincinnati is truly blessed with a real superstar,” Benson said. “He doesn’t change, regardless of what he’s going through or how he’s playing. It’s a genuine treat to be around an amazing person, an amazing teammate.”
Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Facebook.