Elly De La Cruz hits 25th homer, a three-run bomb, as Reds pound Pirates 7-1
Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, drove in four runs, and scored twice to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
De La Cruz, who had three hits, joined Eric Davis and Barry Larkin as the only Reds' players with 25 homers and 65 stolen bases in a season. He stole his 100th career base in his 251st game on Friday night.
Rookie Rhett Lowder (2-2) made his fifth start for Cincinnati and allowed five hits in five innings. He has a 1.40 ERA through five starts, allowing one earned run or fewer in four of them.
De La Cruz doubled and scored on Tyler Stephenson's single to put the Reds ahead 1-0 in the third. Ty France followed with his 13th homer of the season to make the score 3-0.
In the fourth, De La Cruz's three-run homer struck the railing just below the upper-level bar in right field to make the score 6-0.
Pirates rookie Jared Jones (6-8) tied season-highs with six earned runs and two homers allowed.
Billy Cook hit a solo homer off Alan Busenitz in the ninth for Pittsburgh's run.
TRAINERS ROOM
Reds: LHP Sam Moll (left shoulder impingement) will not pitch this season. ... C Austin Wynns (right teres major tear) had planned for a rehab assignment this month, but instead will be shut down.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Paul Skenes (10-3, 2.07) has the lowest ERA in the major leagues since debuting on May 11.
Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (9-4, 2.83) will come off the injured list to make his first start since Aug 13.
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