Frankie Montas only recorded two outs on the day before exiting with an injury, but the Reds bullpen stepped up. Five relievers combined for 8.1 shutout innings as Cincinnati completed a 3-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels in a 3-0 win on Sunday afternoon.
Final | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Angels (9-13) |
0 | 6 | 1 |
Cincinnati Reds (12-9) |
3 | 5 | 0 |
W: Pagan (2-1) L: Soriano (0-3) SV: Diaz (4) | |||
Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread |
Things didn’t go the Reds way in the top of the 1st inning when Taylor Ward lined a ball back up the middle that hit Frankie Montas in pitching arm. He recovered enough to make the play at first base for the second out of the inning, but he had to exit the game with an injury. As he walked off of the mound to the dugout he held his arm at a 90° angle against his body and didn’t move it the entire walk to the clubhouse. It was announced later that he had x-rays on his arm and they showed no fracture.
Cincinnati had to bring in Brent Suter and he entered the game with a runner on third base with two outs. He walked the first batter he saw, but got out of the jam without any damage. Suter did well after that, tossing 3.1 shutout innings to keep the game scoreless through the 4th inning, with the Reds remaining hitless.
Emilio Pagan took over for the Reds in the 5th inning and tossed two shutout innings to keep the Angels off of the board with some help from his defense in the 6th as Jeimer Candelario helped start an outstanding double play.
Reds defense is showing up and showing out today! pic.twitter.com/jPPiPv21AH
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) April 21, 2024
Cincinnati still hadn’t gotten a hit at that point, but that changed when Elly De La Cruz singled on a ball up the middle. Nick Martini would reach with two outs on an error to extend the inning and that proved to be a huge misplay as Christian Encarnacion-Strand followed up with a double to drive in two. Jeimer Candelario then tripled to center on a ball that went off of Mike Trout’s glove as he collided with the wall to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
Fernando Cruz entered the game for the top of the 7th inning and he got himself into some trouble with a leadoff walk. He induced a grounder that turned into a force out, but a single followed to put two men on with one out, but he got a fly out and a strikeout to end the inning and hold onto the lead.
Lucas Sims took over in the 8th for the Reds and after winning an 11-pitch battle with Mike Trout, he got ahead of Taylor Ward 0-2 but couldn’t put him away and walked him. He bounced back with a strikeout and a line out to keep the shutout going.
Needing three outs to complete the sweep, Cincinnati called on closer Alexis Diaz for the top of the 9th to face the bottom of the Angels lineup with a 3-0 lead. He would strike out Matt Thaiss to begin the frame, but then followed with a walk of Luis Rengifo. Diaz came back by getting a fly out to shallow left and a pop up on the infield to end the game and pick up the save.
Key Moment of the Game
Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s 2-run double off of the wall in the 6th inning to put the first runs of the game on the board.
Notes Worth Noting
The Reds bullpen stepped up and threw 8.1 shutout innings after Frankie Montas had to exit the game.
Elly De La Cruz remained hot, picking up two hits and a walk on the day. The two hits pushed his average up to .306 on the season.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies vs Cincinnati Reds
Monday April 22nd, 6:40pm ET
Ranger Suarez (3-0, 1.73 ERA) vs Hunter Greene (0-1, 4.35 ERA)
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