Elly De La Cruz scores again as Reds defeat White Sox originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
Elly De La Cruz hit three runs for her fourth home run in her last four games, helping Andrew Abbott and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox 11-1 on Friday night.
Tyler Stephenson was also honored for Cincinnati, which has lost three of four. Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Santiago Espinal each had two hits and three RBIs, and Jonathan India walked four times from the leadoff position.
Abbott (1-1) pitched seven innings of one-run ball in Cincinnati’s longest start so far this season. The lefty struck out three and walked none.
“I managed to get ahead of the guys. I managed to get in. I was able to execute off-speed,” Abbott said. “Probably the best collective effort in a game I’ve had this year so far.”
Chicago finished with four hits for its seventh loss in eight games. He scored just 30 runs during his 2-11 match.
Robbie Grossman doubled at home Zach Remillard in the third, to account for the team’s only run to open a six-game homestand.
Chris Flexen (0-3) was scored for six runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings in his third straight loss.
“Terrible. I put us in a hole early, put the bullpen in a really bad situation,” Flexen said. “Nothing to be happy about today.”
De La Cruz scored in the second to safely reach his 18th consecutive game last season. Batting in the third with runners on first and second, he took an 0-2 pitch from Flexen to right center for a 449-foot shot.
It was De La Cruz’s fourth home run of the season. He hit an inside-the-park homer and a 450-foot drive during a 10-8 win over Milwaukee on Monday, and then went deep again in a 7-2 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday.
“I have the same mentality,” De La Cruz said. “I’m just looking for my pitch. I’m seeing the ball well.”
Stephenson followed De La Cruz’s charge against the White Sox with his first home run, leading Cincinnati to a 6-0 lead.
Jake Fraley had two of the Reds’ 12 hits, including a run-scoring single. He also stole extra bases from Paul DeJong with a jumper against the wall in right field for the bottom of the second.
“He went a long way, hit the fence really hard,” Cincinnati coach David Bell said. “He’s fine. He lifted his hips a little bit, but yeah, I mean, those plays make a big difference.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: INF Jeimer Candelario had a day off. He hit .152 (7-for-46) while starting Cincinnati’s first 12 games.
White Sox: DE Eloy Jiménez (left adductor strain) will intensify his training this weekend. “We want to get it to between 85 and 90 percent and then evaluate again and see what we want to do,” coach Pedro Grifol he said. “But he’s getting really close.” … 3B Yoán Moncada (left adductor tension) was transferred to the 60-day injured list as part of a flurry of movements. INF Zach Remillard and RHP Justin Anderson were promoted from Triple-A Charlotte, and OF Oscar Colás was sent down. Veteran reliever Bryan Shaw was designated for assignment.
NEXT
Left-handers Nick Lodolo and Garrett Crochet win on Saturday. Lodolo is making his first start of the season for Cincinnati. He is returning from a left calf injury. Crochet (1-1, 2.00 ERA) pitched five innings of two-run ball in Chicago’s 5-3 loss at Kansas City on Sunday.
