Dynamic rookie Elly De La Cruz reached base four times, scored twice and drove in a run as the resurgent Cincinnati Reds defeated the host St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Sunday.
De La Cruz went 2-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base for the Reds, who won for the fifth time in their last seven games.
Cincinnati starting pitcher Hunter Greene allowed three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out nine batters and walked two.
Ian Gibaut (6-1) recorded five outs to earn the victory and Alexis Diaz pitched the ninth inning to earn his 15th save.
Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Jordan Hicks (1-4) took the loss after giving up a run in one inning.
The Reds struck first with Jonathan India’s two-out homer in the first inning, his seventh blast of the season.
The Cardinals surged ahead 2-1 in the second inning. Willson Contreras walked and moved to third on Dylan Carlson’s double. Jordan Walker lined an RBI single to left and Tommy Edman hit a run-scoring chopper.
Cincinnati tied the game 2-2 in the third inning on singles by Curt Casali, Matt McClain and De La Cruz. But the Cardinals moved ahead 3-2 in their half of the inning when Paul Goldschmidt singled and scored on a triple from Nolan Arenado.
The Reds tied the game 3-3 in the sixth inning. De La Cruz walked, stole second base, moved to third on a flyout and scored on Tyler Stephenson’s single.
Greene hit Carlson with a pitch with one out in the bottom of the inning, then walked Walker. Gibaut entered and retired the next two batters to keep the game tied.
De La Cruz drew a leadoff walk from Hicks in the eighth inning, took second on a groundout and third on a passed ball. With the infield pulled in, the speedy De La Cruz scored the winning run on Stephenson’s fielder’s-choice grounder to shortstop Paul DeJong.
–Field Level Media
