De La Cruz homers again as Reds pound White Sox 11-1
CHICAGO — Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run drive for his fourth homer in his last four games, helping Andrew Abbott and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox 11-1 on Friday night.
Tyler Stephenson also homered for Cincinnati, which had dropped 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 spot.
Abbott (1-1) pitched seven innings of one-run ball in Cincinnati’s longest start so far this season. The lefthander struck out three and walked none.
“I was able to get ahead of guys. I was able to get in. I was able to execute offspeed,” Abbott said. “Just probably the best collective effort in a game I’ve had this year to this point.”
Chicago finished with four hits in its seventh loss in eight games. It has scored just 30 runs during its 2-11 start.
Robbie Grossman doubled home Zach Remillard in the third to account for the team’s only run in the opener of a six-game homestand. Chris Flexen (0-3) was tagged for six runs and seven hits in 22/3 innings in his third consecutive loss.
De La Cruz singled in the second to reach safely for the 18th consecutive game dating to last season. Batting
in the third with runners on first and second, he drove an 0-2 pitch from Flexen deep to right-center for a 449-foot shot.
It was De La Cruz’s fourth homer of the season. He hit an inside-the-park homer and a 450-foot drive during a 10-8 victory over Milwaukee on Monday, and then went deep again in a 7-2 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday.
Stephenson followed De La Cruz’s drive against the White Sox with his first homer, lifting Cincinnati to a 6-0 lead.
Jake Fraley had two of the Reds’ 12 hits, including a run-scoring single. He also robbed Paul Dejong of extra bases with a leaping grab against the wall in right for the final out of the second.