Reds Beat Rockies 7-2 Behind De La Cruz, Burns

CINCINNATI - Elly De La Cruz homered and drove in four runs while Chase Burns struck out nine in six innings to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.

De La Cruz dominated at the plate and in the field, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases. He started the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning after Dane Myers drew a leadoff walk from Rockies starter Kyle Freeland and scored. Spencer Steer followed with a two-run homer to left-center, his fifth of the season, giving Cincinnati a 3-0 lead. De La Cruz added another RBI single before Steer's homer, though the bulk of early damage came in the opening frame. In the eighth, De La Cruz belted his team-leading 10th homer of the year, a two-run shot after a Myers single that pushed the Reds ahead 6-2.

Burns, now 3-1, reached a milestone by recording his 100th strikeout in just 72 1/3 innings, the fastest pace for any Cincinnati pitcher. He allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk, throwing 97 pitches before exiting with one out in the sixth and runners on second and third. He struck out Kyle Karros and induced a flyout from Ezequiel Tovar to escape...