Elly De La Cruz Delivers First Career Walk-Off Hit as Reds Take Game 2 of Doubleheader

Good for Elly De La Cruz.

Aug 11, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits a one run sacrifice against the Chicago White Sox during the tenth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It looked like the Reds were headed for another very ugly defeat Monday night in Game 2 of the doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. Down 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Reds got off the mat and tied the game at 4-4 with Michael Toglia and Héctor Rodríguez delivering RBI hits. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, trailing 5-4, Dane Myers came off the bench and golfed a solo home run to tie the game and send it to extra innings.

In the bottom of the 10th, Elly De La Cruz led off the inning with a walk-off single, the first walk-off hit in his career. Good for Elly De La Cruz, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Game 2 of the doubleheader, and maybe this is what breaks him out of his extended slump.

Takeaways from the Reds' 6-5 win over the Carindals

Inside Rhett Lowder's Start

Aug 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Rhett Lowder (25) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Game 1, Lowder pitched deep enough into the game that the Reds' bullpen didn't have to pitch so many innings. Lowder pitched 6 2/3 innings and struck out five Cardinals batters. He threw 99 pitches, with 62 of them for strikes. While he did give up four runs on eight hits, Lowder only walked to batters.

Lowder has now pitched six+ innings in three of his last four starts, which is great for him. In a starting pitching rotation that includes Chase Burns and Andrew Abbott, Lowder will have an incentive to pitch well the rest of this season and in 2027, with Hunter Greene going through Tommy John surgery. Since getting roughed up in Colorado, Lowder has pitched at least five innings in five consecutive starts.

Offense Does Better and gets the Job Done

Aug 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday (22) runs to third on a single hit by third baseman Eugenio Suarez (not pictured) in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Reds banged out double-digit hits Monday night and got the win. For the first time in his career, Elly De La Cruz delivered a walk-off hit. After an 0-for-4, four-strikeout performance in Game 1, De La Cruz bounced back nicely with a multi-hit game while DH'ing in Game 2.

Give Dane Myers credit, too, for tying the game with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth. It was his second home run of the doubleheader after hitting one in Game 1.

On Deck

The five-game series between the Reds and Cardinals continues Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.

Andrew Abbott (6-7, 4.13 ERA) will start for the Reds against Cardinals' right-hander Kyle Leahy (9-4, 3.38 ERA).

First pitch is at 6:40 E.T. on Reds.TV and 700WLW.