De La Cruz’s 1st career walk-off hit in 10th gives Reds 6-5 win over Cardinals to split doubleheader

By: The Associated Press Posted: 9:06 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 17, 2026

CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz delivered his first career walk-off hit in the 10th inning after Dane Myers hit a tying pinch-hit homer in the ninth, and the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Monday night to split a doubleheader.

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Down to their final out in the ninth, the Reds went to the bench for Myers, who had homered in the opener. Myers delivered again, driving his fifth home run of the season into the left-center seats to tie the game at 5.

De La Cruz won the game an inning later, grounding a single into left field that was deflected off third baseman Blaze Jordan’s glove, allowing automatic runner Tyler Stephenson to score.

Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz reaches third base on a single by JJ Bleday during the first inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

Emilio Pagán (5-1) pitched a hitless 10th inning while starter Rhett Lowder matched a career high with 6 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out five, helping the Reds snap a three-game skid.

St. Louis, which won the opener 2-1, led 4-1 before Cincinnati rallied in the sixth.

Michael Toglia doubled home JJ Bleday for his first RBI with the Reds before rookie Héctor Rodríguez singled to center to score Eugenio Suárez and Toglia, tying the game at 4. The hit gave Rodríguez, Cincinnati’s No. 4 prospect, his first two major league RBIs.

Cincinnati opened the scoring in the first on Suárez’s sacrifice fly.

Iván Herrera tied the game with his 14th homer in the fourth, and Masyn Winn’s RBI single gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead. Nathan Church and Jordan added RBI singles in the sixth to extend the Cardinals’ advantage to 4-1.

Justin Bruihl (0-1) gave up the winning run.

Up next

Cardinals’ RHP Kyle Leahy (9-4, 3.38 ERA) faces off against Reds’ LHP Andrew Abbott (6-7, 4.13 ERA) in game three of the series on Tuesday. ___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here