The Reds' late playoff push hit a snare on Tuesday in their rivalry matchup against the Pirates, as Pittsburgh trounced Cincinnati starter Brady Singer for four runs in the second inning.

Needing a win to ensure they don't fall behind the Mets in the NL wild card race, the Reds were desperate to respond with some early offense of their own. Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz delivered the magic they were seeking, blasting a two-run homer to chop the Pirates' lead in half in the bottom of the second inning.

Entering last week, De La Cruz hadn't hit a home run since July 31, but he snapped his drought on Friday with a round-tripper against the Cubs. When his team needed him to deliver again, he came up with a clutch two-run shot to keep the game against the Pirates competitive in the early frames.

De La Cruz is now up to 21 homers on the year, including two over the few days, and he's picked a great time to rediscover his power stroke at the plate. The Reds and Mets remain in a deadlock at 80–76 with six games left to play in the regular season, so every moment counts as the two teams try to secure their spot in the postseason.

More MLB on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Elly De La Cruz Delivers Key Home Run in Big Moment of Reds' Wild Card Push.

Test hyperlink for boilerplate