Red-Hot Reds Keep Angels on the Hook With Ninth Straight Win
Who would’ve guessed the Cincinnati Reds would double down on their playoff push by making history in Anaheim? The team rode a first-inning blast from Gavin Lux and a hat-trick worth of leadoff triples to take down the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 in front of a lively Monday night crowd at Angel Stadium. This win wasn’t just another notch—it made it nine straight victories for Cincinnati over the Angels, stretching all the way back to 2019. If you’re keeping score, that’s the longest win streak the Reds have over any American League club.
This game started fast. Reds leadoff hitter TJ Friedl dropped a single deep into right field, and before the Angels' young starter Victor Mederos could blink, Gavin Lux launched a two-run homer deep into the right field stands. That’s five on the year for Lux, but the timing couldn’t have been better. With less than 40 games left and a playoff spot within sniffing distance, momentum is everything.
Speed and hustle were on full display for Cincinnati. In an aggressive offensive showcase, they chalked up three leadoff triples—Elly De La Cruz opened the fifth with a laser into the corner and later crossed home plate on Austin Hays’ sacrifice fly. Hays, who was red-hot all night, legged out one of his own in the third but was left stranded. Then, for good measure, Ke'Bryan Hayes ripped a high fly over center, a miscue from Luis Rengifo turning it into another triple in the eighth. Hayes quickly cashed in with a sacrifice fly from Matt McLain, just to make the lead feel more comfortable.
This trio of triples wasn’t just a quirk—it's the most leadoff triples the franchise has seen in one game since they hammered five against Colorado back in July 2019. Not something most teams pull off in today’s power-centric game, but the Reds didn’t seem to care about the odds.
Singer Shines Again, Barlow Slams the Door
All that run support helped Brady Singer turn in another solid night on the mound. Singer tossed six innings of sharp baseball, scattering six hits and punching out four. His only slip came early, when Taylor Ward laced an RBI double to put the Angels on the board in the first. After that, it was mostly cruise control. Singer escaped a tense sixth—back-to-back singles from Nolan Schanuel and Mike Trout gave fans hope, but a shallow fly and a cold-blooded strikeout on Yoán Moncada kept the lead intact.
It’s worth noting that August has been especially kind to Singer. He’s now 3-1 in four starts this month, working 21⅔ innings and giving up just five earned runs. The righty’s now sitting at 11-9 for the season and looking every bit like the ace Cincinnati needed down the stretch.
LA nearly threatened in the eighth, but that’s when Scott Barlow entered and immediately snuffed the rally by making Jo Adell swing and miss for the final out. Barlow then slammed the door with three more punchouts in the ninth, locking down his first save of the year and making it look almost routine. That late-game composure could mean a lot as the Reds try to chase down a postseason berth.
Victor Mederos, meanwhile, battled but came up short for Los Angeles. The rookie, pitching in just his second start, gave up three runs on nine hits and had trouble keeping the Reds in check. He left after five innings, still searching for his first big league win.
This win didn’t just extend a streak—it brought the Cincinnati Reds within one game of the final National League Wild Card spot, breathing even more life into their playoff push. With 66 wins on the books and only 36 games left, every night is make-or-break. But with games—and performances—like this, Reds fans can dare to dream a little bigger than before.
