Elly De La Cruz again battered the Marlins while at bat and on the bases, going 4 for 5 with two doubles, as the Cincinnati Reds routed Miami 8-2 on Tuesday night.
A night after hitting two homers and two doubles, De La Cruz singled in the first, doubled and scored in the third and hit a bases-loaded double in the fourth that scored two. He then scored after stealing his major league-leading 58th base of the season, snagging third without a throw while Marlins starter Max Meyer (2-2) was in his stretch.
Going on the pitch after singling in the eighth, his speed distracted shortstop Xavier Edwards into a throwing error on Spencer Steer’s grounder, taking third without breaking stride. He was stranded.
De La Cruz said he enjoyed Tuesday’s performance more, as it built on his earlier outing.
“I am just having fun out there,” De La Cruz said.
Manager David Bell said while the 22-year-old has dominated the first two games of the series, he was particularly impressed by his fourth-inning double which came after he had two strikes. De La Cruz, a left-handed hitter, smacked the pitch deep the opposite way, just inside the left field line, showing some maturity.
“He didn’t try to do too much. He got the job done and also drove the ball almost off the wall in left field. Those kind of at bats go a long way,” Bell said.
The Reds also got a strong outing from starter Nick Lodolo (9-4), who gave up two runs on two hits in six innings. He struck out seven. He had struggled since returning last month from the injured list after suffering a blister on his throwing hand, posting a 6.67 ERA in five starts entering Tuesday.
He skated through the first three innings, only allowing a double to Edwards to lead off the first. Then after walking Jonah Bride with one out in the fourth, he appeared to have gotten a double-play grounder from Otto Lopez, but that call was overturned on review. He walked the next two batters to load the bases, before Derek Hill singled in two, for the only Marlins’ scoring of the night.
Lodolo said the replay delay and overturned call didn’t distract him, saying, “I just tried to do a little too much in that situation.”
“It’s something I have got to work on,” he said. But overall, he was pleased with his effort.
“It was good, especially early. I was getting a lot of swing and miss,” he said.
Meyer (2-2) had his third straight rough start since being recalled last month from Triple-A Jacksonville, allowing six runs on eight hits, walking three and hitting one over four innings. The 2020 first-round draft pick, who returned this season from Tommy John surgery, has allowed 13 runs over 13 innings in those starts.
The Reds have now scored 37 runs in five games this season against Miami, going 4-1.
Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson opened the scoring in the second, belting a 418-foot homer to center off Meyer, his 14th of the season. Ty France also homered for Cincinnati, a 395-foot shot to right-center in the fifth off reliever Emmanuel Ramirez, his 10th and second in two games.
Edwards’ double extended his on-base streak to 23 games, tying the Phillies’ Alec Bohm for the longest active streak in the majors. Philadelphia played later Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
Darren McCaughan, who was called up before the game from Jacksonville, pitched four strong innings in relief for Miami, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three.
TRAINERS ROOM
Marlins: LHP Jesus Luzardo, who has been out since June 22 with a back injury, will not throw for another six weeks, putting his return this season in doubt. C Nick Fortes, who left Monday’s game with quadriceps tightness, jogged before Tuesday’s game and was available in an emergency.
UP NEXT
LHP Andrew Abbott (9-8, 3.41) will start the third game of the series on Wednesday, while the Marlins will go with Valente Bellozo (0-1, 4.20).
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