De La Cruz Delivers
The Cincinnati Reds Secure 3-2 Victory Over Pirates as Elly De La Cruz Scores in Ninth
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Elly De La Cruz scored on a fielder's choice in the ninth inning to lift the Cincinnati Reds over the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Thursday night, according to AP News. The win opened a four-game series between the two clubs and showed off De La Cruz at his best — three doubles, two stolen bases, and an RBI all in one night.
De La Cruz Puts on a Show in the Ninth
With the game tied 2-2, De La Cruz reached base and used his speed to put pressure on the Pirates. He scored the winning run when the defense couldn't make a clean play, turning a fielder's choice into Cincinnati's go-ahead run. The Reds held on to win 3-2, AP News reported.
De La Cruz's three doubles were the engine of the Reds' offense all night. He also stole two bases and drove in a run. That kind of all-around performance — extra-base hits, stolen bases, and a walk-off score — is rare in a single game.
Ramírez Sets a Rare Pirates Pitching Record
Pittsburgh's Yohan Ramírez threw two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. It was a notable milestone, according to Yahoo Sports. Those two innings were the most thrown by a Pirates pitcher in relief before making a start — after 208 total relief appearances.
The previous franchise record was held by Michael Feliz. Ramírez broke it in a losing effort, but the performance showed the Pirates may be ready to move him into the starting rotation. Two clean innings against a live Reds lineup is a strong case for that move.
Reds Bounce Back After a Brutal May Loss
The last time these two teams met was May 2. That game went badly for Cincinnati. Starter Rhett Lowder allowed eight earned runs in just 1⅓ innings as the Reds lost 17-7, according to Stamford Advocate. Thursday's tight 3-2 win was a sharp turnaround from that blowout.
The Reds now have three more games to build on this opening win. For Pittsburgh, the series loss of game one puts pressure on their rotation and bullpen to respond. With De La Cruz locked in, Cincinnati looks dangerous heading into the weekend.
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