De La Cruz hits long homer, Reds beat Nats 9-2

**Reds Nationals Baseball** Washington Nationals' Lane Thomas slides under Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft for a run on Ashcraft's wild pitch in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

**Reds Nationals Baseball** Umpire Quinn Wolcott, left, speaks with Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz and manager David Bell about a knob on De La Cruz's bat handle in the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

**Reds Nationals Baseball** Washington Nationals center fielder Alex Call is unable to make a catch on Cincinnati Reds' Tyler Stephenson's double in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Washington. Spencer Steer scored on the play. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

**Reds Nationals Baseball** Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz prepares for an at-bat in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Elly De La Cruz hit a massive solo homer and two doubles after a mix-up with a covering on the knob of his bat, and the surging Cincinnati Reds beat the Washington Nationals 9-2 on Wednesday night.

Joey Votto also homered and finished with three hits as Cincinnati won for the seventh time in eight games. Will Benson had two hits and two RBIs for the NL Central leaders, and Graham Ashcraft pitched six effective innings in his first win since May 28.

Washington collected 10 hits, but it went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position in its fourth loss in five games. Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (6-7) allowed three earned runs and eight hits in five innings.

De La Cruz, one of the majors’ top rookies and a key engine behind Cincinnati’s rise to the top of its division, had what appeared to be an empty sensor cover on the knob of his bat. But it was removed after Nationals manager Dave Martinez questioned its use before the infielder batted in the second.

Umpires reviewed the legality of the knob cover with the league office and informed De La Cruz he was allowed to put it back on his bat for his second at-bat in the third.

Major League Baseball said in a statement that “the housing used by the player is permissible and approved, which was communicated to the Nationals.”

After flying out to left in the third, De La Cruz opened the fifth with a 455-foot drive to right-center. He then pointed at the end of his bat before rounding the bases.