The Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday defeated the Colorado Rockies by a score of 8-6 to earn their 10th consecutive victory and remain on top of the National League Central standings.
Central to the Reds’ Tuesday efforts was 21-year-old rookie phenom Elly De La Cruz. Cruz went 3 for 4 at the plate with a double and his second home run of the season:
That opposite-field homer traveled 350 feet and left the bat at 98.9 mph. With the big performance, De La Cruz is now slashing .308/.379/.519 after the first 13 games of his big-league career.
Elsewhere, Cincy center fielder TJ Friedl had four hits, including a three-run homer, and Will Benson also went deep.
The Reds were not expected to contend in 2023, even in what has thus far been a weak NL Central, but the recent surge has flipped that particular script. The team has shed payroll in recent years, and last season the Reds endured 100 losses. That low point in tandem with the current high point puts them in rare historical company:
The Tuesday victory pushes the Reds’ record on the season to 39-35, and they maintain a slim lead over the Brewers in the divisional standings. As recently as June 4, the Reds were six games back and in fourth place, and back on April 23 they were a season-worst 8½ games out of first place.
Emboldened by the sudden return to relevance, Reds GM Nick Krall might be looking to be a buyer leading up to the Aug. 1 trade deadline, presumably with an eye toward addressing the injury-riddled rotation. In the meantime, the Reds will aim to push the streak to 11 when they face the Rockies again on Wednesday back at Great American Ball Park.