ANAHEIM, CA — Los Angeles Angels’ starter, 24-year-old Victor Mederos, Santa Clara, Cuba, made his second start of the season Monday night after being recalled August 12 from AAA Salt Lake Bees. He had zero wins and losses and a 5.63 ERA before facing off against Cincinnati’s Brady Singer, 10-9, 4.32 ERA, in the series opener.
The Reds were 1.5 games behind the flopping Mets for the last slot in the NL Wild Card race entering Monday, so every game for them is critical.
Zach Neto signing for fans during batting practice – Image Credit: Francisco Rodriguez/Latino Sports
On the other side, the Angels find themselves in a more dire situation as they were seven games back in the AL Wild Card for that last spot.
The Reds wasted no time getting to Mederos with a leadoff single followed by a 387-foot home run off the bat of Gavin Lux that landed in the right field bleachers to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead. The Halos answered back with one run driven in by a Taylor Ward double, his ninety-first RBI of the year. It stayed that way until the top of the fifth inning, when Elly De La Cruz, Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic (2023 NL LatinoMVP ROTY), hit what usually would be a double down the right field line for anyone else, and easily turned into a stand-up triple for the speedster who “Cruz-ed” around the bases.
2023 NL LatinoMVP Rookie of the Year Elly De La Cruz is as electric as one can be on the bases – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
He would score on a sacrifice fly three pitches later, giving the Reds a 3-1 lead.
Mederos kept the Angels in the game and showed great poise in a few tight situations. He left the game with a line of five innings pitched, nine hits, three runs, all earned, and one home run.
Singer gave the Reds solid innings and left with a line of six innings pitched, six hits, one run, and one earned run.
The Halos have had their ups and downs this season, but there’s been one notable difference. They are tied for third in the MLB with 176 home runs. They are 8-2 vs the A’s with a four-game sweep and a three-game sweep in Anaheim. 3-3 against the Yankees, where they swept the Bronx bombers in NY, and 5-1 against the Red Sox with a sweep in Boston and two three game sweeps of the Dodgers both home and away.
Luis Rengifo and the Angels are 7-9 in the month of August and 60-65 on the year – Image Credit: Amber Douglas Rodriguez/Latino Sports
And though Anaheim lost on Monday, they are slowly showing the other 29 teams that they are no longer a pushover.
Final Score: 4-1 Reds as they get closer to the idle Mets, trailing by one game in the NL Wild Card race.
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