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Cardinals Edge Reds in Extra Innings Despite Elly De La cruz’s Heroics
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ST. LOUIS – In a game marked by soaring temperatures and dramatic twists, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in 11 innings on Saturday at Busch Stadium.Despite a strong performance from Elly De La Cruz, who battled through illness to hit a go-ahead home run, the Reds ultimately fell short after a walk-off single by Yohel Pozo .
De La cruz’s rollercoaster Game
De La Cruz experienced a mixed bag of results. He started the afternoon feeling unwell in the fourth inning but remained in the game. In the seventh, he blasted a two-run homer off Cardinals reliever Steven Matz, giving the Reds a 4-2 lead.The Statcast-projected 435-foot shot landed in center field. Earlier, De La Cruz snapped a 1-for-15 slump with a two-out triple in the third against Cardinals starter Sonny Gray. Though, he was thrown out at home attempting a “Little League home run” on the same play.
Did You Know? De La Cruz’s performance marked his sixth career game with both a triple and a home run, tying him with several others for the fourth-most such games before the age of 24 in MLB history.
Cardinals’ Late-Inning Rally
The Cardinals mounted a comeback, scoring two runs in the eighth inning to tie the game. Nolan Arenado then hit a solo home run off Emilio Pagán in the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.Pagán expressed regret over the pitch selection, saying, “If I had that pitch back, I might throw something else.”
pozo’s Walk-Off Heroics
In the bottom of the 11th, Yohel Pozo delivered his first career walk-off hit, a single off Chase Petty that scored Jordan Walker for the game-winning run. Petty, making his first appearance since may 11, nearly escaped the two-on, no-out jam.Reds manager Terry Francona acknowledged the difficult situation for Petty,stating,”We needed to save our [bullpen] length for the end. It was a difficult spot [for Petty].”
Reds’ Bullpen Game Falters
The Reds employed a bullpen game, using eight pitchers in total. Brent Suter started, allowing two runs on an Alec Burleson home run in the first inning. Nick Martinez followed with two efficient innings, while Ian Gibaut and Lyon Richardson combined for three scoreless innings. Though, the bullpen ultimately couldn’t hold the lead.
pro Tip: Bullpen games can be effective, but require careful management and strategic matchups to succeed.
Key Plays and Performances
Matt McLain led off the third with a single, his first of three hits, and scored on a double play to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1. Gavin Lux later tied the game at 2-2, scoring Jake Fraley on a groundout.The Reds fought hard throughout the game, but ultimately fell short in the extra innings.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reds | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Cardinals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 1 |
“The hard part is we had to lead there at the end,” Pagán said. “But you know, we fought hard all game… Tito’s been kind of preaching it since spring Training — this one’s done. We’ll focus on tomorrow. Show up ready to play.”
MLB Attendance Trends
MLB attendance has seen fluctuations in recent years. According to Statista, the average attendance per game in the 2023 season was approximately 29,400 . Teams are continuously exploring strategies to boost attendance, including promotional events and enhanced fan experiences.
