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Reds' Elly De La Cruz hits bomb, inside the parker vs. Brewers

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is now hitting .297 this season. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
1 of 5 | Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is now hitting .297 this season. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

April 9 (UPI) -- Shortstop Elly De La Cruz showcased his versatility with a 450-foot homer from the left side of the plate before racing 20 mph around the bases on an inside-the-parker in a Cincinnati Reds win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

De La Cruz went 3 for 4 with four runs scored and two RBIs in the 10-8 victory Monday in Cincinnati.

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According to OptStats, the 6-foot-5 speedster is the first MLB player in history to homer from both sides of the plate -- with over-the-fence and inside-the-park homers -- score four or more runs and steal a base in the same game.

"That's electric," De La Cruz told reporters, when asked about his inside-the-park homer. "That's electrifying for the whole stadium and that's what I like.

"The fans like that. And I like it."

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De La Cruz reached second base on a fielding error in the bottom of the second inning. He then stole third and came around to score the game's first run when second baseman Santiago Espinal grounded out. Designated hitter Will Benson smacked a 386-foot homer in the next exchange for a 2-0 Reds lead.

De La Cruz singled in the bottom of the fourth and scored on a throwing error after a sacrifice bunt in the next exchange. The Reds carried an 8-0 lead into the fifth.

The Brewers plated three runs in the top of the inning, with the first coming from a two-run homer from second baseman Brice Turang.

De La Cruz returned to the plate to lead off the bottom of the inning. He worked the count full before ripping a 93.6-mph fastball from relief pitcher J.B. Bukauskas to hit a 450-foot blast.

That ball traveled 112.3 mph and carried 107 feet above the field at Great American Ball Park before it went over the fence and smacked into the batter's eye in center field.

The Brewers scored two more runs in the sixth. Left fielder Christian Yelich followed with a 360-foot, two-run homer in the seventh for the Brewers' final runs of the night.

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De La Cruz came back to the plate in the bottom of the second. He hit the first pitch he saw from relief pitcher Bryan Hudson -- a 92.2-mph fastball -- into the middle of the outfield. Center fielder Sal Frelick attempted to catch the hit, but his diving attempt was short, allowing the ball to bounce back to the warning track.

De La Cruz turned on his speed at first base and raced around second and third before sliding home for his second round-tripper of the night. The Reds infielder needed just 14.96 seconds to round the bases and traveled 30.1 feet per second -- or 20 mph -- en route to home, according to Statcast.

Reds relief pitchers Fernando Cruz and Alexis Diaz kept the Brewers scoreless for the final two innings to secure the victory.

Benson went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored for the Reds. Left fielder Spencer Steer also drove in two runs in the victory. Reds starter Graham Ashcraft allowed nine hits and six runs -- including five earned -- over 5 2/3 innings to secure his first win this season.

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Brewers starter Aaron Ashby allowed six hits and eight runs -- including four earned -- over 3 2/3 innings to drop to 0-1. Turang went 2 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs scored for the Brewers. Frelick, catcher William Contreras and third baseman Joey Ortiz also collected two hits apiece in the loss.

De La Cruz is now hitting .297 with two home runs, five RBIs and 11 runs scored through 10 games this season. His 11 six stolen bases are tied for second in MLB, one behind Turang's seven this season.

The Reds (6-4) will host the Brewers (6-3) in the second game of their four-game series at 6:40 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Cincinnati. They sit in third place, a half-game behind their National League Central foes and 2.5 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates are tied with the New York Yankees for the best record in baseball (9-2).

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