CINCINNATI -- Run production and run prevention. It was a do-it-all type of night for the Reds' Elly De La Cruz on Tuesday.
What was De La Cruz's favorite part? His offense provided three hits with a home run and four RBIs. The All-Star shortstop's defense contributed two nifty plays, including one that should linger a little longer in the memory bank.
“The win. That’s the best part. Just play to win," De La Cruz said.
As a club, the Reds took care of that, 7-2, over the Rockies at Great American Ball Park with an all-around overall performance to match De La Cruz's. Cincinnati has won 10 of its last 13 games, is 19-10 overall and sits atop the National League Central division.
“We come with the same mentality every day. We play to win. We’re going to keep it that way," said De La Cruz, who also notched two stolen bases.
De La Cruz at the plate
Dane Myers was on first base with a leadoff walk in the first inning when De La Cruz blooped a one-out single to right field for the game's first run. After De La Cruz stole second base, Spencer Steer's two-run home run to left-center field off Kyle Freeland gave Cincinnati a 3-0 first-inning lead.
In the bottom of the third inning when the lead was 3-1, Myers led off with a single to center field and stole second base. Once again, De La Cruz plated him with another RBI single, this time up the middle.
“That’s basically all I’m trying to do is get on base," said Myers, who scored three times with De La Cruz batting. "I know the guys behind me are elite. If I can get on and put them in good situations to drive me in, it helps.”
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Myers opened with a bunt single to third base. Two batters later against Tanner Gordon and batting lefty, De La Cruz went to the opposite field for a two-run homer over the left-field fence. That put him into a tie with the Nationals' James Wood for the NL lead with 10 this season.
De La Cruz is on pace to finish the year with 55 homers, which would break George Foster’s franchise record of 52 set in 1977. Currently, he's batting .291 with a .952 OPS in 29 games.
“When you drive the ball the other way, you’re fundamentally very sound," manager Terry Francona said. "Guys like he and Sal [Stewart], they’re strong enough where if they hit the ball the other way, they get rewarded.”
Cincinnati has hit 12 home runs over its last four games and 39 for the season, sixth-most in MLB.
De La Cruz has also added more strength after being bogged down by a left quadriceps strain in the second half of last season, which affected his production.
“The work I put in the offseason was to be healthy, to be able to play every day," De La Cruz said. "I just want to stay healthy.”
De La Cruz with the play of the night
In the Colorado second inning, Kyle Karros hit a chopper to the left side over the glove of leaping third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. But De La Cruz went to his right and made a backhanded grab before executing a perfect throw across his body while on the move. It got to Stewart at first base on a short hop just in time to rob Karros of a hit.
“He’s unbelievable. I saw him make it. I was very happy. He’s ridiculous, like the best player in the world," said starting pitcher Chase Burns, who gave up two runs and seven hits with one walk and tied a season-high with nine strikeouts. Six of Burns' strikeouts came over the first three innings.
“That’s physically as impressive a play as you’re ever going to see, I think," Francona said.
Meanwhile, Myers had a good view of the play from center field.
"Feeling like he’s probably the only shortstop in the game that has a chance to get him out," Myers said. "Special talent, special person, good teammate. It’s always fun to watch him.”
In the seventh inning with the Reds leading 4-2 after reliever Graham Ashcraft gave up a pair of one-out singles, Hunter Goodman grounded to shortstop. The ball took a late high hop on De La Cruz, who fielded it cleanly and started the inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
“That was a tough bounce, but I made the adjustment and we made the play," De La Cruz said.
"I thought the play that might have been more impressive was the double play ball because that ball probably should have hit him in the Adam’s apple," Francona said. "That was a really good play.”