Elly blazes past 50-steal mark, on pace for most SB since '88

ATLANTA -- In a big series during a big road trip for the Reds, Elly De La Cruz came up big offensively again on Wednesday. And he further burnished his self-proclaimed "fastest man in the world" status.

"You know that," De La Cruz said with a smile after a 9-4 Reds win that guaranteed a winning three-game series over the playoff-contending Braves in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Truist Park.

Game 2 was postponed roughly an hour before first pitch due to inclement weather. The contest will be made up Sept. 9, a previously scheduled off-day for both teams.

De La Cruz notched three hits -- including a home run -- stole two bases and scored three runs while Spencer Steer collected three extra-base hits and three RBIs.

The steals gave De La Cruz his 50th and 51st of the season. The matinee was Cincinnati's 102nd game of the season, putting the 22-year-old on pace for 81 steals. He is the first Reds player to eclipse 50 steals since Billy Hamilton (59 steals) in 2017. Only Eric Davis (93 games in 1986) and Dave Collins (93 games in 1980) reached that total faster in club history.

“Sometimes it looks like he’s going to get thrown out, and then the closing speed he has, he always seems to find a way to be safe and beat the throw even when it looks like he’s not," Steer said. "We’re lucky to have him, but it’s pretty incredible to watch him on a day-to-day basis.”

If De La Cruz maintains that pace, the shortstop could be the first player to swipe at least 80 bases since Vince Coleman (81) and Rickey Henderson (93) in 1988, the last year any player reached the vaunted 80-steal mark.

• Trivia: Most steals in a season

“Brother, I don’t think I’ve seen that before," said Reds starting pitcher Frankie Montas, who was picked up by the offense after a labored 4 1/3 innings. "And it’s my ninth season in the big leagues. And I’ve played with some good hitters, and I’ve played with some good players. To be able to see that in person … he’s amazing.”

It was a messy game for the Reds at times, as Montas battled and the defense committed three errors -- including two by De La Cruz. But Cincinnati took a 4-0 first-inning lead against Braves starter Allan Winans with De La Cruz hitting a one-out single and stealing second base. He scored on Steer's RBI triple to right field. Steer notched a Little League homer when second baseman Zack Short's relay throw slipped from his hand for an error that allowed Steer to cross the plate.

Two batters later, Jake Fraley hit a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole.

De La Cruz, who was 2-for-4 with a triple and a stolen base in Monday's 4-1 series-opening win, opened the top of the third inning Wednesday with a homer to right-center field, his 18th of the season.

Noelvi Marte's two-out, two-run double in the third inning and Steer's two-out, two-run double in the fourth helped the Reds blow the game open.

All games for the 49-53 Reds are important as they try to remain in the playoff hunt, especially with Tuesday's Trade Deadline looming. Winning a series against a Braves team that leads the National League Wild Card race was a big rebound from being swept three games at Washington.

"We’ve got to string together some good games here and stay consistent," Steer said. "I don’t think it’s a secret that it’s time to win some ballgames and try to get hot here and go on a little bit of a streak.”

Especially in games against the very good teams, De La Cruz seems to step up:

• On April 23-24 in back-to-back victories vs. the Phillies that secured a home series and the season series, De La Cruz was 4-for-8 with three RBIs.
• At Dodger Stadium on May 16, De La Cruz was 4-for-4 with four steals to beat Los Angeles in front of a packed house for Shohei Ohtani's bobblehead night.
• In a June 21-23 series loss to the Red Sox, De La Cruz was 5-for-13 with a homer.
• Against the Yankees on July 2 at Yankee Stadium, De La Cruz was 2-for-5 with a triple and a homer for a win that set the tone for a big three-game series sweep.
• Overall this season vs. the NL Central-leading Brewers, De La Cruz is batting .476 with four homers and 11 runs scored.

“It’s just the same, one more team. I just go and play hard," De La Cruz said of coming up big against the Braves and contenders.

“Elly is definitely not going to back down," Reds manager David Bell said. "He has a lot of confidence in himself. He knows he can play with the best players [and] the best teams."