Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field Chicago Cubs The local fans in the stands thought the home team would tie the score with the visitors. Cincinnati Reds Bottom of the ninth inning.
Reds shortstop Ellie de la Cruz had other ideas.
Cincinnati led 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth with closer Alexis Diaz on the mound. Pete “Crowe” Armstrong singled as leadoff hitter and then pinch-hitter Michael Bush walked.
Diaz got Nick Madrigal to ground out to third base, and the Reds were able to get their first out of the inning when Bush was forced out at second base. But that advanced a Cubs runner to third base, bringing Seiya Suzuki to bat. Leading 2-1, Suzuki hit a slider down the left field line for what appeared to be a tying double. But Reds left fielder Jacob Hartbeiss and de la Cruz had other ideas.
In a play that a Little League coach dreams of, Hartubais and De La Cruz pulled off a perfect relay throw to prevent a potential tying run at home plate. Hartubais raced down the line to chase down a double and made a perfect throw to the shortstop who was positioned as the cutoff man.
Meanwhile, not only did De La Cruz launch a 93+ mph throw to home plate, but look how he did it: The shortstop took the throw from Hartbeiss coming in from left field and spun around to get into position to throw to home, saving precious seconds in the relay.
Madrigal never had a chance.
On the next pitch, Diaz got Cody Bellinger to hit a fly ball to right field, giving the Reds a 5-4 victory and giving Cincinnati their fifth win in seven games.
“That’s what decided the game,” Reds manager David Bell said. He spoke after the match“You hit the cutoff man and if it’s Ellie, you want to give him the ball. I know what kind of arm he has. Everybody knows that.”
Especially the Cubs right now.
