De La Cruz’s 4 hits, career-high 7 RBIs lead Reds to 14-3 rout of Rangers

By: The Associated Press Posted: 8:31 PM CDT Monday, Mar. 31, 2025

CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz had a single, double and two home runs for a career-high seven RBIs, Brady Singer pitched seven scoreless innings in his Cincinnati debut, and the Reds routed the Texas Rangers 14-3 on Monday night.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/03/2025 (249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Singer, who was acquired in November from the Kansas City Royals, became the first Reds pitcher with seven-plus scoreless innings in a debut since Tom Seaver on June 18, 1977, against Montreal. The 28-year-old right-hander struck out eight, walked two and allowed one hit.

De La Cruz hit a three-run home run to center for a 6-0 lead in the second inning. It was his first homer of the season. He added a two-run shot in the seventh.

Cincinnati Reds' Matt McLain hits a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Monday, March 31, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

The Reds (2-2) batted around in the sixth to double their lead to 12-0. The 14 runs were Cincinnati’s most since a 19-2 victory over St. Louis on Sept. 29, 2023.

Rookie Kumar Rocke allowed six earned runs in three innings for Texas (3-2). Jake Burger hit his first home run for the Rangers in the ninth.

Cincinnati first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch on the wrist in the sixth. He stayed in the dugout for the seventh.

Key moment

Matt McLain, who missed the 2024 season with a shoulder injury, hit his third home run of the season to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead in the first. Gavin Lux added an RBI double for the Reds’ fourth straight hit to start the game and a 3-0 lead.

Key stat

Cincinnati entered as one of two teams without a steal attempt this season before De La Cruz’s broke the streak in the first inning.

Up next

The series resumes Tuesday when the Reds send right-hander Carson Spiers against RHP Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 3.00 ERA), who is coming off his second opening-day start in a row for Texas.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb