The Cincinnati Reds beat the Los Angeles Angels twice on Wednesday to earn a series
sweep.
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Elly De La Cruz electrified in game 1 of the doubleheader with 6 RBI in the Reds 9-4 win. The rookie went 2-5 with a home run and a triple.
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani suffered a right elbow tear and had to leave the mound after just 1 and 1/3 innings on the mound.
However, the 2021 MLB MVP helped the Angels get out to an early 1-0 advantage on a solo home run in the top of the 1st.
Los Angeles would extend the lead to 3 in the 3rd on a 2-run blast by Luis Rengifo.
The Reds rallied, scoring 7 unanswered runs from the 4th-7th innings. The first run came on a J0ey Votto groundout in the 4th. The next three came on an Elly De La Cruz 3-run homer in the 5th. In the 7th, Cincinnati scored 4 more, thanks to a 3-run triple by De La Cruz and a Spencer Steer RBI single, giving the Reds an 8-3 lead.
Both teams would score 1 more run each before Reds reliever Fernando Cruz retired the side in order in the ninth to give Cincinnati the 9-4 win.
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The Reds finished with 12 hits in their 7-3 series finale win over the Angels.
Matt McClain drove in 3 runs, batting 2-5 with a home run and a single.
For the 2nd straight time, the Reds fell behind early. In the second inning, Nolan Schanuel knocked in the first run for LA on a single to center.
Over the next two innings, Cincinnati would score 4 unanswered runs to take a 4-1 lead. The Reds started their scoring spree with a Spencer Steer RBI single to tie the game at 1. The scoring continued in the fourth with a 2-run homer by Tyler Stephenson and a one-run single by Matt McClain.
The Angels answered in the 5th with a 2-run single by Luis Rengifo, making it a 4-3 game in favor of Cincinnati.
The Reds ultimately put the game away in the 8th, with one run scoring on a Noelvi Marte groundout to 3rd and a Matt McClain home run.
Cincinnati (67-61) currently holds a half game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants for the 3rd and final Wild Card spot in the National League.
They kickoff a 4-game road series in Arizona against the Diamondbacks tonight. Coverage on 103.9 WRBI begins at 9:10.