CINCINNATI — Greatness met greatness on Friday night time, when Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. competed for the primary time in opposition to baseball’s newest phenom, Reds rookie third baseman Elly De La Cruz.
“It’s unbelievable to see what he’s doing together with his talents,” Acuña stated by means of a translator. “It’s been enjoyable to look at him showcase that. I want him continued success and well being.”
Acuña’s evaluation really got here earlier than De La Cruz grew to become the fifth-youngest participant to hit for the cycle. The 21-year-old’s sensational efficiency doomed the Braves, who bid adieu to an eight-game profitable streak as they dropped an 11-10 decision to the Reds, who’ve now gained 12 straight video games.
“The child is simply an unbelievable expertise,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “He’s received energy and pace. He slows the sport down. That’s a very nice expertise proper there.”
De La Cruz hasn’t gained this type of fame 15 video games into his profession. However his recognition has actually grown as he has spent the primary couple weeks of his MLB tenure hitting for nice energy and displaying his super pace.
“Acuña, I advised him at the moment that he’s my favourite Main League participant,” Reds first baseman Joey Votto stated. “I’ll let you know what, with every sport, Elly is giving a run for that floor. I’ve by no means seen something remotely near this.”
An abundance of expertise was on show as MLB’s two hottest groups opened a three-game collection with an entertaining slugfest. The Braves misplaced for simply the third time of their previous 18 video games regardless of plating 5 runs within the first and drilling three homers within the eighth.
It also needs to be talked about that each Acuña and Riley highlighted a three-hit efficiency with a homer. As for Matt Olson, he hit two homers and is now tied for second within the Majors with 23.
How was this offensive manufacturing trumped? De La Cruz accomplished the cycle inside 4 plate appearances that spanned from the second by means of sixth innings. As for Votto, who returned from an extended stint on the injured checklist earlier this week, he homered in each the fourth and fifth innings, the primary one tying the sport and the second giving the Reds the lead for good.
“I do not ever are available right here feeling like several lead is protected,” Snitker stated. “So, once we had been down 4, I nonetheless had a superb feeling. However [the Reds] are scorching. Issues are going properly for them.”
Whereas this was a memorable night time for De La Cruz, it was an evening to study from for rookie Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver, who was born in November 2002, 11 months after De La Cruz. This matchup was billed as the primary to characteristic a number of gamers born after 2001.
It didn’t take lengthy to find out the winner. Smith-Shawver’s second pitch to De La Cruz was a center-cut fastball that got here off the bat at 116.6 mph and thudded in opposition to the right-center-field wall for a double. One inning later, the 6-foot-5 Reds rookie powered a curveball over the right-field wall for a two-run homer.
“He’s a extremely proficient hitter,” Smith-Shawver stated. “I believed I threw him a superb curveball down within the zone. He simply made an adjustment and hit it.”
De La Cruz secured the cycle with a sixth-inning triple in opposition to reliever Ben Heller. He additionally wowed the group with an acrobatic catch he made close to the tarp within the third inning. His all-around efficiency conjured recollections of the numerous days Acuña has dominated opponents together with his energy, arm and legs.
“You noticed the instruments on show tonight,” Olson stated. “This was a superb night time for him.”
Source link
USASports – #Phenom #meet #phenom #Acuña #style #fivetool #drugs
Printed : 2023-06-24 04:42:34
