Lux Powers Reds Past Angels with 4-1 Victory
Gavin Lux hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and the Cincinnati Reds rode three leadoff triples to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 on Monday night.
TJ Friedl started the game with a single off Angels starter Victor Mederos, making his second career start, before Lux followed with his fifth home run of the season for an early 2-0 lead.
Elly De La Cruz tripled in the fifth and scored on a sacrifice fly from Austin Hays to push the score to 3-1. Hays also tripled in the third but was left stranded. In the eighth, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit another leadoff triple after Luis Rengifo misplayed a ball in center field, and Matt McLain’s sacrifice fly extended the lead to 4-1. It was the most triples in a game for the Reds since July 13, 2019, when they hit five against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Brady Singer (11-9) pitched six innings for Cincinnati, giving up only one run on an RBI double by Taylor Ward in the first. Singer improved to 3-1 in August, allowing just five runs across 21 2/3 innings. He retired nine straight batters at one point and worked out of trouble in the sixth by retiring Ward and striking out Yoán Moncada.
Scott Barlow came on in the eighth with two runners on and struck out Jo Adell to end the inning. He then struck out three more in the ninth to secure his first save of the season.
Mederos (0-1) allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks across five innings.
With the win, the Reds (66-60) earned their ninth straight victory over the Angels (60-65) and closed within one game of the Mets for the final National League wild card spot.
Up Next: Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (5-3, 2.47 ERA) will face Angels right-hander Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 4.88 ERA) on Tuesday.
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