McCoy: More history for Elly De La Cruz as Reds mash Marlins

De La Cruz was the hub cap of a big wheel 15-hit attack, eight for extra bases, that added up to a 10-3 Cincinnati Reds victory over the Miami Marlins.

And De La Cruz continues to etch his name all over the Reds’ record books. He is only the second Reds player since 1901 to have two doubles and two home runs in a game. Paul O’Neill did it in 1991 against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field.

His offensive legend continues in his first full MLB season — 20 homers, 57 RBI, a four extra-base hits game and the flashiest oven mitts in the game.

Not even a broad smile reveals what kind of night De La Cruz has because he goes through life with a perma-press smile.

Asked why playing Miami brings out his best (9-16, four homers, three doubles), De La Cruz smiled even wider and told Bally Sports Ohio, “As I always say, it doesn’t matter what team I play against, I’m gonna play hard.”

Try telling that to Miami.

And about hitting two home runs and not stealing a base, even though he likes stealing bases best of all, he said, “That felt great ... amazing, amazing.”

Add a couple more amazings to that one.

By the way, those weren’t the Miami Marlins the Reds crushed. They are the Miami Minnows.

The franchise traded nine players at the deadline — its top three run producers, three of its top four home run hitters and its closer.

Nevertheless, Miami was 9-7 since the All-Star break and just split four games against the Atlanta Braves.

But the Reds continued turning loose big sticks, crashing four more home runs, nine in their last three games.

And in four games, three wins, the Reds have scored 30 runs. They are beating up on baseball’s have-nots — 12-2 this season against Miami, Colorado and the Chicago White Sox.

De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte and Ty France homered to give the Reds a 7-0 lead in five innings as Reds starter Nick Martinez pitched five scoreless four-hit innings.

Miami, though, had one big moment.

Jesus Sanchez, the highest paid Miami player at $2.1 million, hit the longest home run in MLB this season.

He was the first batter relief pitcher Jakob Junis faced in the sixth inning and Sanchez planted it high into the upper deck, 480 feet from home plate. It was three feet farther than the 477 footer Jorge Solar hit earlier this season.

And Junis gave up three straight singles to open the seventh. One run scored on a double play and another scored on a single by Jonah Bride, cutting Cincinnati’s lead to 7-3.

That ended the night for Junis. Buck Farmer replaced him and gave up a quick single, but retired Emmanuel Rivera on a ground ball.

At that point, Miami had outhit the Reds, 11-10, but stranded nine runners in seven innings.

Miami starter Roddery Munoz lasted only 3 2/3 innings, the shortest start of his short career and probably wished his identical twin brother, Rolddy Munoz, had started the game.

But Rolddy is pitching in the Atlanta Braves minor league system.

Jonathan India opened the game with an infield hit and De La Cruz picked on the first pitch and lined it so fast into seats that right fielder Sanchez didn’t budge and it was 2-0.

India singled with one out in the third. De La Cruz grounded to the mound and Munoz threw wild to first base. Second baseman Otto Lopez picked it up and threw it into center and India scored from first on the double error. De La Cruz end up on third and scored on TJ Friedl’s sacrifice fly and it was 4-0.

It became 6-0 in the fourth when Jake Fraley beat out an infield hit and Marte launched a two-run home run.

The lead expanded to 7-0 in fifth. France, 1 for 14 since arriving from Seattle via trade, ripped his first home run.

After Miami made its little run, De La Cruz struck again, a 428-foot home run into the right field upper deck for an 8-3 lead.

It was Deuces Wild for the Reds as they scored two runs in the first, third, fourth, eighth and ninth.

The two in the ninth came on a two-run double by Jake Fraley after singles by TJ Friedl and France, who followed his home run with a double and a single for a three-hit night.