Rookie Elly De La Cruz’s Historic Steal of 2nd, 3rd, and Home Fuels Reds’ 8-5 Victory over Brewers

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Elly De La Cruz made an indelible mark in Cincinnati Reds’ history as he accomplished a feat not seen since 1919: stealing second, third, and home in a single inning. This electrifying play by the rookie sensation propelled the Reds to an exhilarating 8-5 triumph over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

In the seventh inning, with the game tied at 5-5, De La Cruz delivered a clutch RBI single off Elvis Peguero, shifting the momentum in favor of the Reds. However, he was far from done. Exploiting the rattled reliever’s vulnerability, De La Cruz stole second base effortlessly. To everyone’s surprise, on a 1-2 pitch from Peguero, De La Cruz swiped third base without any throw, leaving the opposing team in complete disbelief.

Overwhelmed by the situation, Peguero caught the ball from his catcher and slowly made his way back to the rubber with his back turned. De La Cruz, seizing the opportunity, confidently walked down the third base line, burst into a sprint, and comfortably reached home plate before Peguero’s hasty throw could catch up with him.

The crowd erupted with jubilation as De La Cruz bounced up in celebration and skipped towards the dugout, enthusiastically high-fiving his teammates. Peguero, on the other hand, was booed off the field after making the last out. It was a defining moment that epitomized De La Cruz’s impact on the Reds since his promotion from the minors on June 6.

Transforming from a struggling team with a 27-33 record to a formidable force, the surging Reds improved to 23-7 since De La Cruz’s arrival, extending their lead over the Milwaukee Brewers by two games in the NL Central division.

In just 30 games, De La Cruz has already accumulated an impressive 16 stolen bases, showcasing his exceptional speed and agility. His batting average rose to .328 as he contributed with a 2-for-5 performance on Saturday. The only flaw in his otherwise stellar performance was a nonchalant toss to second for the final out, which survived a replay challenge.

Lucas Sims (3-1) provided crucial relief by tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings, while Jonathan India’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning secured a three-run lead for the Reds. All-Star closer Alexis Diaz sealed the victory with his 26th save in 27 chances.

Willy Adames demonstrated his power for the Brewers, launching two home runs—an impressive solo shot in the first inning and a two-run blast, his team-leading 16th, in the third.

Contributing to the Reds’ offensive firepower, Joey Votto connected for a two-run homer in the fourth against Milwaukee starter Colin Rea, and Will Benson added a solo shot in the third. This record-breaking performance marked the Reds’ franchise-best streak of 22 consecutive games with a home run, surpassing the 1956 Reds who went deep in 21 consecutive games.

Brice Turang’s run-scoring triple in the fourth inning against Reds starter Luke Weaver narrowed the gap to 5-4. The game reached a 5-all tie when Cincinnati’s Jake Fraley delivered an RBI double in the fifth.

Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich extended his hitting streak to eight games with a run-scoring double in the third inning.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell was ejected in the top of the ninth after plate umpire John Tumpane called a balk on Abner Uribe. Third baseman Brian Anderson also received an ejection.

In other news, Milwaukee’s right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes earned his third consecutive All-Star selection, replacing Atlanta Braves’ right-handed pitcher Spencer Strider. Burnes, boasting a 7-5 record and a 3.94 ERA, will represent the Brewers in the upcoming NL All-Star game.

On the roster front, the Reds made some moves by selecting the contract of right-handed pitcher Michael Mariot, optioning right-handed pitcher Tony Santillan to Triple-A Louisville, and designating outfielder Henry Ramos for assignment. The Brewers recalled Abner Uribe from Triple-A Nashville, designated right-handed pitcher Tyson Miller for assignment, reinstated right-handed pitcher Jason Alexander from the 60-day injured list (recovering from a right rotator cuff injury) and optioned him to Nashville. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Jack Cousins, dealing with a right shoulder injury, was sent to the Rookie ACL Brewers for a rehab assignment.

Looking ahead, the Brewers will start left-handed pitcher Wade Miley (5-2, 3.36 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale, while the Reds are yet to announce their starting pitcher.

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