Reds Fall to White Sox 5–1 in Extras Despite Elly De La Cruz’s Late Homer

The Cincinnati Reds suffered a 5–1 extra-innings defeat at the hands of the Chicago White Sox, despite a clutch solo home run by Elly De La Cruz in the bottom of the ninth that temporarily extended the game. A three-run blast from Miguel Vargas in the 10th sealed the win for Chicago and left the Reds searching for answers in close games.

⚾ De La Cruz Delivers Late Drama

Down 1–0 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Reds were staring at another quiet offensive night until Elly De La Cruz stepped to the plate and launched a game-tying solo homer to right-center, electrifying the home crowd at Great American Ball Park.

• De La Cruz’s HR: 429 feet, second deck
• Continues to lead the team in extra-base hits
• Provided a much-needed spark in an otherwise sluggish night at the plate

“You live for those moments,” De La Cruz said postgame. “I just wish we could’ve finished it off.”

💥 Vargas Breaks It Open in the 10th

After a clean top of the ninth, Reds reliever Alexis Díaz ran into trouble in the 10th, loading the bases before Miguel Vargas crushed a three-run home run to left field. It was the decisive blow in an otherwise pitcher-dominated game.

• Vargas’s 10th-inning homer: His second of the season
• Chicago added an insurance run to make it 5–1
• Reds couldn’t answer in the bottom half

The Reds bullpen has now given up runs in four of the last five extra-inning games, highlighting late-game execution as a growing concern.

❄️ Cold Bats Cost the Reds Again

Cincinnati managed just four hits through nine innings and continued to struggle with runners in scoring position. Outside of De La Cruz’s homer, there was little offensive momentum to speak of.

• Team went 1-for-7 with RISP
• Jonathan India and Spencer Steer combined for 0-for-8
• Reds left six runners stranded

The inconsistency at the plate is proving costly, particularly in close, low-scoring matchups.

📰 Final Thoughts

The Reds had a chance to walk it off after Elly De La Cruz’s heroic ninth-inning homer but came up short in extras against the White Sox. With bullpen cracks and bats cooling off, Cincinnati will need to rediscover its edge fast to stay competitive in a crowded NL Central.