Elly De La Cruz hits for 1st Reds cycle since 1989

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. De La Cruz got things started with a double in the second inning, before homering in the third and hitting an RBI single in the fifth.

The Elly De La Cruz cycle! 👏👏👏

(via @MLBPipeline)pic.twitter.com/UhR7JQyavY

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 24, 2023

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 joins 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.

Elly De La Cruz catapults Reds to top of NL Central

De La Cruz’s arrival to the big leagues has coincided with the Reds’ hot streak, which has catapulted them to the top of the NL Central at 40-35. Cincinnati entered Friday riding an 11-game winning streak and with a win over the NL East leading Braves, would match the 1957 and 1939 teams for the franchise’s longest single-season winning streak since 1900, per CBS Sports.

“It’s very inspiring to be around what’s happening in the clubhouse, what’s happening on the field,” Reds manager David Bell said Thursday, via David Jablonski of the Dayton Daily News. “What’s happening in the ballpark, that stuff means a lot to us. The energy our fans are bringing, seeing them enjoy the game, seeing them enjoy what’s happening with our team and how we’re playing the game, it means a lot to us.”