​The Cincinnati Reds unleashed a historic home run barrage that transformed their game against the Philadelphia Phillies into a memorable offensive showcase. On July 8 at Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati blasted five homers through just four innings to surge ahead 7-2, etching a moment in franchise lore. The fourth inning featured a dramatic sequence of three straight homers, as Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and JJ Bleday connected in rapid succession, marking the 15th time since 1961 that the Reds have produced back-to-back-to-back long balls.
The last time Cincinnati tallied three consecutive homers in the same at-bats came on July 22, 2023, against Arizona, when TJ Friedl, Matt McLain, and Jake Fraley went deep off Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt. Stewart, who is an All-Star representative for the National League, was a central figure in the early power display, accounting for two of the four home runs before the midway point of the game. His blasts, the 18th and 19th homers of the season, also set a new franchise record for the most long balls by a Reds rookie before the All-Star break.
In the third inning, Cincinnati tied the game at 2-2 when Stewart launched a two-run homer off Phillies starter Alan Rangel. The blast not only paused Philadelphia’s early momentum but also energized the Reds’ lineup as the team prepared to surge in the ensuing frame. The fourth inning began with De La Cruz belting his 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot off Banks that ignited the stretch. That was followed by Bleday’s homer, another powerful shot off the same reliever, who was pulled from the game after surrendering a third consecutive home run and recording only one out. Bleday’s blast marked his 14th homer of the 2026 season, capping a pivotal sequence that underscored the Reds’ late-inning scoring burst.
Earlier in the game, Noelvi Marte added a solo homer to push Cincinnati ahead 3-2 before De La Cruz’s two-run blast tied the game and Stewart’s consecutive homers elevated the Reds to their landmark lead. The offensive outburst was a rare display of sustained power and depth, highlighting a lineup capable of delivering big hits in quick succession.
This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer, noting that the Reds reached a rare echelon of home run production with a barrage against the Phillies. The White-and-Red club’s Friday night showed that when the lineup gets rolling, multiple players can contribute to a historical scoring burst, reinforcing the Reds’ reputation for explosive hitting at home and in big moments.