Cincinnati Reds phenom Elly De La Cruz steals 2nd, 3rd then home against Milwaukee
Cincinnati Reds star up-and-coming shortstop Elly De La Cruz played a bit of small ball to build his team a lead in the late innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. And he manufactured a run all by himself on the bases.
After stealing second base, the 6-foot-5 speedster took off for third base. A pitch low and to the left-handed batters box side of home plate prevented a throw down to challenge him.
And before the announcers or his opponents could really catch their breath, De La Cruz was already hauling down the third baseline toward home plate.
“He’s going home! The throw — he stole home!” play-by-play announcer John Sadak exclaimed.
It was more than just a personal exhibition of speed and baserunning from the 21-year-old phenom, as the Reds were nursing a 6-5 lead in the top of the 7th inning when he scampered home. With two outs already recorded, his bit of daring baserunning took him from first to third in three pitches, and without a swing of the bat.
And the feat is one of historic significance. De La Cruz stole three bases in an inning for just the 25th time in Major League Baseball history.
A few weeks ago, De La Cruz hit for a historic cycle
It took just six innings for Cincinnati Reds third baseman Elly De La Cruz to hit for the cycle during his team’s home game against the Atlanta Braves Friday.
De La Cruz legged out a triple off of Braves reliever Ben Heller to finish it off — the first Red to hit for the cycle since Eric Davis in 1989. He got things started with a double in the second inning, before homering in the third and hitting an RBI single in the fifth.
The 21-year-old rookie sensation has taken MLB by storm since his call-up from Triple-A Louisville on June 6. Though Friday served as the pinnacle of his brief career, De La Cruz’s first 15-career games have been historic. According to ESPN Stats & Info, he is the first player in the World Series Era (since 1903) to record 20 hits, five stolen bases and three home runs in his first 15-career games.
De La Cruz joined Cliff Heathcote (6) and Gary Ward (14) as the only players in American/National League history to hit for the cycle in their first 15-career games.