That was it for him and the Yankees as De La Cruz made certain the spotlight shined on him the rest of the night.
De La Cruz produced three hits — a triple, a single and a home run as the Reds ripped the Yankees, 6-1, with De La Cruz delivering like an Amazon driver.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
All three De La Cruz hits produced runs, three RBI, and he scored twice as the Reds won for the 11th time in 16 games to creep to within 5 1/2 games of the division-leading Chicago Cubs.
And most often, when a team’s bullpen draws attention, it is because it blew a game, as the Reds’ bullpen has done 13 times this year.
Not on this night. Starter Nick Lodolo put a lot of traffic on base and wiggled free for 4 1/3 innings.
Then the bullpen took over — 4 2/3 innings, no runs, one hit, one walk and seven strikeouts.
Reds pitchers struck out 13 and walked one.
Judge’s home run gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead that starter Allan Winans, making his New York debut, protected one trip through the order.
Only one Reds runner reached base until Winans hit Matt McLain with a pitch with one out in the fourth. De La Cruz then tripled to score McLain and De La Cruz scored on Spencer Steer’s sacrifice fly.
Gavin Lux, 1 for 20, homered to make it 3-1.
Winans repeated his hit batter act when he plunked Jake Fraley to open the fifth and again paid for it. TJ Friedl singled, McLain walked and De La Cruz singled home Fraley.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Then De La Cruz led the eighth with his 18th home run while batting right-handed. Of his last three hits batting right handed, three have left the ball park.
“It’s a huge honor to play the Yankees,” said De La Cruz, who grew up a Yankee fan and idolized Derek Jeter and A-Rod. And he has said he would like to play for the Yankees.
If the Yankees could, they would sign him forthwith.
“Emotions? Every day I have emotions for the team,” he told reporters after the game. “I play the same against all the teams, 100 percent. And we’re feeling really good right now.”
Of his sudden success batting right-handed, especially the power surge, De La Cruz told reporters, “It’s important and I need to keep working to keep getting better on my right swing.”
Said Reds manager Tito Francona, “I love it. I love it. When he’s dirty, we’re good. He can puke on the field all he wants.” He was referring to Sunday in the St. Louis heat when De La Cruz vomited at shortstop, but stayed in the game and homered.
Jasson Dominquez led the New York fifth with an infield hit. Right fielder Jake Fraley leaped against the right field wall and robbed Paul Goldscmidt of a game-tying home run.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Cody Bellinger dropped an excuse-me double over third base, putting runners on second and first with one out. And here came The Judge.
Francona brought in Scott Barlow and Judge, with a chance to tie the game with another homer, popped up on the first pitch and Barlow caught Giancarlo Stanton looking at strike three.
Barlow then pitched a 1-2-3 sixth with two strikeouts.
Tony Santillan entered the eighth and was in immediate trouble when Bellinger blooped another excuse-him double to right. Santillan appeared to want no part of Judge and walked him.
Two on, no outs. He struck out Stanton, struck out Jazz Chisholm and cut off the threat by getting Anthony Volpe on a ground ball.
For the night, the Yankees were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.
Francona appreciated his bullpen, especially what Barlow did and told reporters, “It looked as if it was going to get messy. And he did a great job. He really clutched up.”
Even though Lodolo gave up six hits during his 4 1/3 innings, he walked none and struck out six.
“I thought he had good stuff,” said Francona. “Give them credit. He got to two strikes and then they fouled off a ton of pitches and it drove his pitch-count up (94).
“I wanted to leave him in, but when Bellinger’s ball fell in... if you start managing with your heart, that’s not a good thing to do.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Nick Martinez pitched an inning Saturday in St. Louis and retired three straight on 18 pitches. Even though he is scheduled to start Friday against San Diego, he volunteered his services Monday.
Francona used him for the seventh and he went 1-2-3 with a strikeout.
“Nick told me Sunday in St. Louis, ‘I can give you an inning tomorrow,’” said Francona. “I’m not sure there is anybody else I’d believe it, but he is so good about that.
“I told him, ‘That fired me up,’” said Francona. “He wants the ball. I love it. I thought that was great.”
Francona hopes he will love what he sees Tuesday night when rookie Chase Burns makes his debut.
Chase isn’t just any rookie. At this time last year he was finishing his studies and pitching at Wake Forest. Then he was drafted by the Reds in the first round, started his career in April in Class A Dayton and moved rapidly to Class AA Chattanooga and Class AAA Louisville.
And he gets to make his MLB debut against the New York Yankees.
NEXT GAME
Who: New York Yankees at Cincinnati
When: 7 p.m.
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM, 700-AM
About the Author