Elly De La Cruz's Big Day Carries Reds to First Home Series Win vs Brewers Since 2022, Win Finale 12-8

After a long, weather-delayed win on Saturday night, the Cincinnati Reds looked to take their first series of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers. The last time the Reds won a series at home versus the Brewers was all the way back in May 2022, during their rebuilding 100-loss season.

Prior to the game, the team activated reliever Graham Ashcraft from the 60-day IL and designated left-hander Sam Moll for assignment. The Reds scored 12 runs on 14 hits. They went 5-20 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base. Command was an issue for both teams, tallying 20 walks between them. The Brewers made it interesting in the ninth, but Pagan came in to shut the door on another Brewers comeback.

Reds win 12-8. Let's talk about everything that happened that led to the Reds winning their first home series against the Milwaukee Brewers since 2022 and their first series win against them this season.

Elly De La Cruz Does It All

The speed of Elly De La Cruz was an important factor to the Reds' offense in the second inning. The Reds loaded the bases on Matt McLain’s and Juan Brito’s singles and Dane Myers’s walk. De La Cruz drove in McLain on a ground ball to third, when Brewers third baseman David Hamilton committed a throwing error trying to throw out the lead runner at the plate. They scored another on a Sal Stewart sacrifice fly, adding to his league-leading RBI tally.

De La Cruz continued to have a massive impact on the ballgame. In the top of the fourth, he helped stop a delay with a bird on the field by carrying it off the field. In the bottom of the inning, he launched his 23rd home run of the season, his 10th against left-handed pitching, to give the Reds a 6-3 lead.

He continued his hot hitting in the fifth when he came up with the bases loaded and no outs. He lined a double to the opposite field left-field gap to drive in two more runs, giving him four RBI on the day. He finished Sunday 2-4 with four RBI, a run scored, and two walks.

No Lead Was Safe

Brady Singer did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, before the Brewers tagged him for three runs. He gave up a two-run home run to Jake Bauers for his first hit allowed, and the third run came on a throwing error from the Reds' right-hander when he tried to throw out the lead runner at home. A poor decision from Singer that allowed both baserunners to advance a base. He did get out of the inning after getting a groundout and a flyout.

After not allowing a run in the fifth, Singer promptly surrendered the Reds’ three-run lead. He retired the first two batters on consecutive flyouts, but he walked the next two batters he faced and allowed an RBI single followed by a two-RBI double to tie the game.

Singer did not have good stuff on Sunday. He set a new career-high in walks with and allowed six earned runs on five hits in five innings of work. Just 50 of his 97 pitches were for strikes.

The bullpen did their job. Luis Mey went 1-2-3 in the sixth inning, continuing his recent run of success. Brock Burke allowed a hit, but did not allow a walk or a run, and Graham Ashcraft made his return to the mound in the eighth. He struggled with his command early, walking the first two batters he faced, followed by an RBI single. He got out of the inning by getting a strikeout, a force out, and a strikeout to hold the Reds' lead to two. Pierce Johnson came in to pitch the ninth; he walked two and gave up an RBI single to make it interesting. He was pulled with two outs for closer Emilio Pagan.

Pagan has now converted 16 consecutive save attempts. He has been incredible ever since returning from the injured list on June 30.

Supporting Cast Helps Carry Reds Offense

Dane Myers did his job out of the leadoff spot. He went 2-4 with three runs scored, two walks, and two RBI. His RBI single in the eighth extended the Reds' lead to 12-7. Eugenio Suarez did not get a hit on Sunday, but he walked twice and scored a run. He scored from first on a Juan Brito double. Brito has played well since being called up from Triple-A. He went 2-3 with a double and an RBI. His double was laced to the opposite field gap at 102 miles per hour off the bat. He had a career-best three-hit game, going 3-4 with two runs scored, a walk, and an RBI.

Hector Rodriguez had another big day offensively. He went 3-5 with an RBI in the eighth and a run scored. He scored on De La Cruz's 25th double of the season. Stephenson drove in two runs on two singles. The Reds' batters drew 10 walks against Brewer pitching.

On Deck

The Reds travel to Los Angeles to take on the National League West-leading Dodgers Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. Chase Burns will make the start but will be on an innings limit for the remainder of the season, with left-hander Brandon Williamson getting innings during Burns' outings. The Dodgers have not yet named a starter.

The Reds now sit at 69-74, six games out of a Wild Card spot. The season is not over yet. The schedule is going to be difficult, but the Reds keep fighting as the season winds down.

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