Watch: Elly De La Cruz gets around the bases in breathtaking time for an inside the park home run
Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz showed his speed between the bases once again as he hit an inside the park home run against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.
The Reds took an early 8-0 lead in the game by the fourth innings and while the Brewers mounted a comeback, the shortstop scored two home runs to squash any such hopes. Having already made headlines for his pace, De Le Cruz turned it on once again as he popped a fastball into center field and proceeded to run the bases and score in just 14.96 seconds.
Elly De La Cruz signed with the Reds as an international free agent in 2018 and went on to make his major league debut with them in June last year. At 6-foot-5, he became the tallest shortstop in MLB history and soon showed that he is one of the fastest players in the league.
His pace was on display over the course of the season, especially when he became the first Reds player to steal second, third and home base in the same inning since 1919.
De La Cruz has since established himself as a starter in the Reds lineup with his elite skills on defense and electric pace between the bases. However, he has had some struggles at the beginning of this year, but seems to have found his mojo again.
The Dominican scored four times and recorded three hits as the Reds held off a Brewers comeback on Monday. De Le Cruz's inside the park home run in the eighth innings was enough to secure a 10-8 victory as the Milwaukee bats failed to score in the top of the ninth.
Elly De La Cruz explains his thought process in memorable inside the field home run for Reds
The Cincinnati Reds shortstop made headlines once again as he pulled off an amazing home run by covering all the bases in just 14.96 seconds. In an interview after the game, the youngster said he made up his mind to take home plate when he saw the Milwaukee Brewers center fielder miss the ball.
"When I see him missing the ball, I say.. I'm going home."
It turned out to be the winning run for the Reds as they went on to record an impressive 10-8 victory on the night. Just as importantly, they will be happy that their shortstop is back to the top of his game in the MLB again.