No hits for Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, but another contribution to a victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It doesn’t look as pretty as it did during those first three big-league games last week for the Cincinnati Reds’ rookie phenom Elly De La Cruz.

But in between daily detours in and out of the national spotlight and the occasional Elly-centric media conference to start a new series, the 6-foot-5 bundle of uncommon power and speed is still finding ways to help the Reds win games.

That included Tuesday’s 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals despite a second consecutive hitless night — the Reds’ fourth straight win, clinching a fifth series win in six series overall.

“They’re throwing a lot more breaking balls, that’s for sure, and they’re not throwing it in the same spot, either,” he said Tuesday, through the team interpreter, on a night he saw 16 pitches in his first three trips to the plate against the Kansas City Royals.

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That included a curveball, a changeup and a fastball for the first three pitches De La Cruz saw from Royals starter Jordan Lyles — all taken for balls ahead of a leadoff walk in the second inning that opened a five-run inning.

“We’re making those adjustments to see what we can do,” said De La Cruz, who went 0-for-4 Tuesday with another pair of strikeouts.

“We’re definitely making those adjustments and definitely getting better at it.”

De La Cruz has struck out four out of his last eight trips to the plate (and 14 times in eight big-league games).

But when he led off the second inning with his sixth big-league walk Tuesday night, one press box wag suggested it was actually a double.

Three pitches later, De La Cruz took off, nabbed his fifth stolen base, and then continued to third when the throw clanked off Matt Duffy’s glove and caromed toward right-center.

“No,” said the press box wag. “It was a triple.”

Spencer Steer then singled home De La Cruz for the first run of the big inning of the night, which also included two more walks, a double by Kevin Newman and run-scoring singles by Stuart Fairchild and TJ Friedl.

Just like that the Reds had come back from another early deficit — eventually adding to their National League-leading total of come-from-behind wins with No. 22, just one short of the Baltimore Orioles’ MLB-leading total.

The big rally helped make a winner out of rookie starter Brandon Williamson (1-0), who got his first major-league win. 

Alexis Diaz finished with a 1-2-3 ninth that gave him his 16th save without blowing one this year — 21st overall dating to last season.