MILWAUKEE — One day after he returned from a day on the bench lead off the game with a home run, Cincinnati Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz hit another 405-foot opening salvo Monday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Except this time Brewers center fielder Joey Wiemer stole the home run with a leaping catch at the wall.
Two innings later when he stepped to the plate, the scoreboard operator decided to poke the bear.
“Almost hit a home run in the first inning … but didn’t,” read the “player trivia” note next to De La Cruz’s picture
De La Cruz responded on the first pitch, driving Rea’s offering past the new car display high above center field and completely out of the stadium, through one of the open window panels, and onto a walkway behind the stadium – where it was retrieved by somebody not named Joey Wiemer.