OC Register: Anthony Rendon exits early and Angels can’t overcome poor start against Reds

[AngelsWin.com]

CINCINNATI — Saturday night could not have started any worse for the Angels as a chaotic first inning saw Anthony Rendon removed from the game with a hamstring injury, an out removed from the scoreboard due to a ground rule and Patrick Sandoval’s misplaced fastball removed from the field of play on a bases-clearing swing.

Tyler Stephenson’s first career grand slam erased an early Angels lead and propelled the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-5 victory before a crowd of 27,343 at Great American Ball Park.

Sandoval (1-3) initially appeared to have caught a break after first baseman Nolan Schanuel played the carom on Luis Rengifo’s wild throw and cut down Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer trying to reach second base. But because the ball ricocheted off the netting in front of the photographers’ well, which is out of play, the umpires convened and awarded Steer second base.

A double and two walks later, Stephenson hit his second home run of the series and third of the season into the right field bullpen for a 5-2 lead.

That was more than enough cushion for Cincinnati starter Graham Ashcraft (3-1), who retired 14 of the next 16 batters he faced after Miguel Sano’s first-inning double scored Mike Trout and Zach Neto, pinch running for the injured Rendon.

Rendon pulled up lame while beating out a game-opening infield single, and the veteran third baseman left after a short consultation with trainers.

Sano added a two-run homer off Ashcraft in the sixth to get the Angels within 7-4, and Rengifo’s RBI groundout later in the inning closed the gap to 7-5.

But that’s as close as they would get as Reds relivers Nick Martinez and Alexis Diaz combined for three shutout innings to end the game, with Diaz securing his third save with a perfect ninth, leaving Trout on deck.

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Sandoval lasted four-plus innings, allowing seven earned runs on six hits, five walks and a balk. He struck out six.

Angels relievers Jose Suarez, Hunter Strickland and Luis Garcia threw five innings of scoreless relief.

The loss dropped the Angels (9-12) to 3-6 on their 10-game road trip, which concludes Sunday at 10:40 a.m. PT as they try to avoid a Cincinnati sweep.

More to come on this story.

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