Five hours after the total eclipse of the sun darkened the sky above Great American Ball Park, Elly De La Cruz crushed a 450' home run to allow the Reds to eclipse the Milwaukee Brewers, 10-8.
De La Cruz hit an inside-the-park home run for an encore his second of the season on a line drive that got past Sal Frelick's attempt to make a diving catch. He scored four runs on a 3-for-4 night.
"I think running around the bases (biggest thrill)," De La Cruz said. "I like to run. When I saw him miss the ball, I say, 'I'm going home.' It is my mentality. I always think about the extra base. The first one was on the pitch I was looking for."
"The exciting, the fun part to watch is to see Elly run," David Bell said. "The whole bench was yelling home run as soon as the saw the ball get by. It's an exciting play if you're a fan, every second is exciting. But there weren't that many seconds."
"It was important against the Brewers," De La Cruz said. "We put in a lot of work and we want to win the World Series."
The second-year player struggled at the end of last season and his strike out total remains high but he showed signs of getting the feel for the game.
"It is incredible but we're looking at the work to get Elly in to that position. I'm really happy. He has been working so hard. It is nice to see it pay off," Bell said.
Will Benson and Spencer Steer contributed two RBI each to the cause.
The Reds got the scoring going in the second inning. Aaron Ashby of the Brewers was making his first appearance since 2022. He missed all of last season with a torn labrum.
De La Cruz reached second base on a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz. De La Cruz stole third, his sixth stolen base of the season. Santiago Espinal's ground out sent De La Cruz home. Will Benson hit his second home run of the season into the Brewers bullpen in right field. It was his first career home run off a left-handed pitcher.
The Reds took advantage of another Brewers error to plate six runs. Tyler Stephenson opened the inning with a single. De La Cruz singled behind him into right field. Espinal bunted to move the runners up and Ortiz the ball past first baseman Rhys Hoskins and both runners scored. Benson doubled to score Espinal. Stuart Fairchild walked for the second time. He and Benson pulled a double steal. Steer doubled them home. Jeimer Candelario's ground ball skipped past Hoskins for the Brewers' for a single. Steer scored.
Bubba Thompson replaced Jonathan India in the lineup. Fairchild moved to leadoff when India was hit in the left leg during batting practice on a ball hit by Nick Martini. India suffered a contusion.
The Brewers fought back against Graham Ashcraft with a three-run fifth. Sal Frelick walked to lead off but after two ground outs, Brice Turang hit his first home run of the season. Ortiz, Oliver Dunn and William Contreras singled in succession to produce the third run.
Ashby was charged with eight runs but only four were earned in 3 2/3 innings.
De La Cruz hit home runs from both sides of the plate, for the fourth time in Reds' history. Pete Rose did it twice in 1967 and 1968. Javier Valentin was the last to do it in 2005.
While the Brewers defense let their pitchers down, Fairchild took a home run away from Willy Adames in the sixth inning. The inning took a turn for the worst for Ashcraft. Frelick reached base for third time with a single. Jackson Chourio singled. Both scored on a double that eluded Steer in left by Turang, giving him four RBI for the game. Ashcraft through an infield hit away by Ortiz and Turang scored the third run of the inning.
Ashcraft pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk. He struck out six. On June 3, 2023 Ashcraft was charged with 10 earned runs against the Brewers. The Reds had tying runs on base when the game ended in a 10-8 Brewer triumph.
Christian Yelich hit a two-run home run off Justin Wilson in the seventh to make it a one-run game.
Lucas Sims replaced Wilson and struck out three to end the seventh.
De La Cruz' inside-the-park home run was gave him the longest and shortest home runs for the Reds this year.
Fernando Cruz set up Alexis Diaz with a scoreless eighth, striking out two.
Diaz closed the Brewers out for his second save.
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