CINCINNATI — Two different generations of Reds stars — Joey Votto and Elly De La Cruz — joined forces on Friday night for a special game amid a special winning streak in a typically Cincinnati season.
It took an 11-10 thriller in front of a sold-out crowd of 43,086 fans at Great American Ball Park to defeat the Braves and extend the Reds’ winning streak to 12 games. Votto, 39, hit a game-winning solo home run and a triple home run.
Rookie De La Cruz, 21, managed to eclipse Votto’s performance by scoring for the full cycle – something not accomplished by a Reds hitter in 34 years.
“It’s something special,” said Jonathan India, the Reds’ second baseman. “It’s a special time in Cincinnati and we’re enjoying it in every way.”
Atlanta, which has the best record in the National League, came after Cincy on an eight-game winning streak. In order for the Reds to keep their winning streak alive and end the Braves’ winning streak, they had to bounce back from 5-0 and 7-5 deficits and then hang on to the death after taking an 11-7 lead in the sixth inning had watched it shrink to 11-10 by the ninth.
“I think games like this really show what’s possible and what we’re capable of,” said Reds manager David Bell.
A tedious 43-pitch first inning by Reds starter Luke Weaver marked the Braves’ five runs. Weaver was one shot away from limiting the damage to one run before Travis d’Arnaud hit a three-run home run into right midfield.
“There is no panic. We say, ‘Okay, it’s still 0-0,'” said India.
In the second inning, the Reds had an answer. De La Cruz smoked a 116.6 mph line drive off the right midfield wall for a double. Jake Fraley followed up with a two-run home run to reduce the deficit to three runs.
De La Cruz made it a one-run game when he hit a two-out, two-run home run into right field in the third inning.
Votto, who is four games down after left shoulder surgery last season, completed the Reds’ first comeback with his game-winning home run into midfield and led at the bottom of the fourth inning.
“Hopefully with these heavyweight fights we can earn the respect of the other heavyweights and fight back,” said Votto.
The Braves took a two-run lead early in the fifth set when Matt Olson hit the two-run home run into left field against reliever Daniel Duarte. It did not last long.
At the bottom of the fifth inning, De La Cruz’s third hit — an RBI broken-bat single into midfield — turned the game into a single run. Two batters later with two outs, Votto hit a 3-1 sweeper by Collin McHugh for a three-run home run into right field.
“It’s a really great experience for me,” said Votto. “I don’t like to overdo it because it’s June.” That’s been fun so far. I think we have really good potential. I think the average Reds fan has a team like their grandparents at home [and] Children can have a lot of fun watching. Because it’s a fun kind of baseball.”
In the sixth game against Braves substitute Ben Heller, De La Cruz hit an RBI triple into right field to complete the cycle — the first by a Reds since Eric Davis on June 2, 1989 — and built the Reds’ lead to 11- 7 off .
De La Cruz didn’t feel like he was eclipsing Votto.
“It doesn’t matter who does it in the game, we all agree and that’s how we’re going to do it,” De La Cruz said of translator Jorge Merlos.
De La Cruz called it an honor to play with Votto.
“Because he’s just a legend of the game,” De La Cruz said. “I admire him, he admires me back. He tells me that too. I mean, we just keep having these conversations about how much we respect each other…”
“I didn’t say I admire you too,” Votto blurted out from the back of the press conference room, triggering laughter. “But I do. I admire you.
“I heard you say it,” De La Cruz replied in English.
Votto struggled to think of another player to compare to De La Cruz.
“Is there a better switch, speed and power guy? “The only comp I can think of is Mickey Mantle — a young Mickey Mantle,” Votto said. “It’s unfair to attack Elly, [comparing him with] perhaps one of the greatest players of all time. Elly has plenty of time to entertain the fans.
“There is no comparison. I have no one to compare him to. There is no precedent that I have seen in my experience. How lucky are we in Cincinnati to have him?”