Angels bullpen squanders strong start by Tyler Anderson in loss to Reds
CINCINNATI — Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, Nick Lodolo pitched 6-1/3 innings of one-run ball for his second quality start since coming off the injured list and the Cincinnati Reds snapped a three-game skid with a 7-1 win over the Angels on Friday night.
Besides the three-run shot in the eighth, De La Cruz manufactured another run with two outs in the second inning when the 22-year-old singled, stole second and third and scored on the errant throw to third by Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe.
“I always think about stealing the next base,” De La Cruz said. “Always aggressive.”
Lodolo (2-0) gave up a run and seven hits while striking out six. The 26-year-old left-hander exited in the seventh with one out and runners on second and third. Fernando Cruz came on and struck out Jo Adell and Zach Neto to end the threat.
Ryan Pepiot, who was acquired in the Tyler Glasnow trade during the offseason, held the Angels to one run over six innings of a 2-1 Tampa Bay win.
“He definitely was missed,” Reds manager David Bell said. “He’s been great. Tonight he definitely set the tone for us by throwing strikes, Obviously, really good stuff to go along with that, but he attacked the hitters.”
Angels starter Tyler Anderson (2-2) also was outstanding. The 34-year-old lefty threw seven innings, allowing one earned run and three hits. He struck out two and walked three.
Tyler Stephenson homered 433 feet into the upper deck in left field with two outs in the sixth. Anderson got the third out and departed with the Reds leading 2-1.
Then the wheels came off for the Angels.
Relievers Adam Cimber and José Cisnero gave up five runs in the eighth, including De La Cruz’s sixth homer.
“Tyler Anderson did do a great job. He kept us in that ball game,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “Then in the eighth, we brought in a pitcher [Cimber] that’s been doing a very good job to this point. He just didn’t have a good night, and we couldn’t do anything to shut that inning down.”
Lucas Sims got the Angels in order in the ninth.
The Angels’ run came on a single by Adell in the fifth.
Injury update: Brandon Drury returned to the lineup as the designated hitter. He missed three starts with tightness in his left hamstring. Washington said he could start in the field in one of the next two games of the series.
Up next for the Angels: Left-hander Patrick Sandoval (1-2, 4.67 ERA) gets the start opposite Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft (2-1, 4.15) on Saturday.
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