Elly De La Cruz becomes first Reds player to steal every base in one inning since 1919: How it happened

Eli de la Cruz stole every base for the scoring and gave the Cincinnati Reds a 7-5 lead heading into the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:

• De la Cruz stole second and third base and home plate, becoming the first Reds player to steal all three in the same inning since Greasy Neale in 1919.
• In 29 games played this season, De La Cruz has hit 40 hits, four home runs and 16 stolen bases.
• The Reds defeated the Brewers 8-5. Cincinnati improved to 50-40, finishing first in the National League Central.

the athleteInstant Analysis:

how did that happen

On the one hand, you have to give it to Elvis Peguero, who did something no one else was able to do – take their eyes off De La Cruz. The Brewers guard, on the other hand, turned his back after De La Cruz stole third and took advantage of the Reds’ rookie sensation, stealing a home run, and giving the Reds a two-run lead, just three pitches after giving the team the lead with an RBI single. – Rosecrans

Cincinnati sensation

Since his debut on June 6, De La Cruz has been the hottest player in baseball. It seems like overkill at this point, but the 21-year-old switch-hitting player/third baseman has stormed into the game. His first home run came in his second game and went to the last row of Great American Ball Park, approximately 500 feet away. He also tripled in that game. In his 15th game in the Major Leagues, he hit the team’s first home run since 1989.

It was in that game that he hit for the cycle, against the Braves on June 23, that De La Cruz attempted and failed to steal a home run. This time, though, he was successful.

De La Cruz has several singles, including at least two hits to a first baseman, as well as four home runs and now has 16 steals on the season. Over his last five games, he’s been 12-for-22, including two games on Saturday against the Brewers.

The Reds are 22-7 since De La Cruz was called up. The Reds were third in the NL Central when called up, 5 1/2 games behind the Pirates and five games behind the Brewers. With the win on Saturday, the Reds are two games ahead of the second-place Brewers, and guaranteed an All-Star Break entry alone at the top of the division. – Rosecrans

what are they saying

Reds coach David Bell spoke to reporters about De la Cruz’s stolen bases.

“The speed is obvious, right? The speed of the elite, maybe we haven’t seen it before, but also how heads-up they were,” Bell said. “We saw that in the dugout, he got to third base where he stole third base and that never happened, so we knew something was about to happen.

“It was like he was on a mission to score.”

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(Photo: Katie Stratman/USA Today Sports)