‘Woof!’ Check out what Elly De La Cruz did this time as Reds win again

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – When Sal Stewart’s pulling off Elly De La Cruz-style feats, and De La Cruz is making defensive plays he considers among his best, something must be going right for the Cincinnati Reds these days

“Every game looks a little different, but we always find a way,” Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder said of the team’s 15-8 start that has them on a four-game winning streak and in first place.

Take your pick of any number of big plays in the series-opening win against the Rays on Monday night as the highlight. But not even Stewart’s impersonation of De La Cruz on a two-out double, steal of third and sprint home on a wild pitch could upstage what De La Cruz did in the the third inning of a 6-1 win.

Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, a close friend of De La Cruz, drove a 113-mph grounder toward left field that looked hard enough that it might even split the gap – until De La Cruz somehow snared it at full extension, in the final split second of a dive toward the hole.

Then he leaped in one motion and threw a strike to first base that rivaled the velocity of the hit, getting the out by a half step.

Of all the highlight-reel plays, “That was one of the best ones,” De La Cruz said. “So far.”

The throw might have been as good as the diving snare.

Either way, it left teammates slack-jawed.

“Woof!” Stewart said. “What a play! "I sat there and was like, 'Damn, there's no way.' It was an incredible play. Another one of his many things that he does where he leaves all of us in awe."

De La Cruz, who was told to turn down an invitation to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic this spring because of his ongoing rehab from last year’s quad injury, spent time pregame chatting with Caminero about his pal’s experience playing in the tournament.

A few hours later, Caminero was gesturing toward a smiling De La Cruz after the play, miming eating food and then waving it off.