Tyler Anderson looks strong again in Angels’ loss to Reds

CINCINNATI — Budding Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz became the first opposing player in Angels history to record three stolen bases and three RBIs in the same game, leading the hosts to a 7-1 victory on Friday night before a crowd of 22,539 at Great American Ball Park.

De La Cruz stole two bases in the second inning and scored on catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s throwing error. The 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic added a third stolen base in the fourth before blowing open a tight game in the bottom of the eighth with an opposite field, three-run home run off of reliever Jose Cisnero.

“He had a real good game,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “Even though he did all of that, if we did what we were supposed to do in this game, it wouldn’t have mattered.”

Taylor Ward jogged out of the box on a deep drive to center field and ended up with only a double instead of a triple after Cincinnati center fielder Stuard Fairchild had trouble locating the ball after it caromed off the wall and his body.

One pitch later, Ward got doubled up on Miguel Sano’s line out to shortstop.

Jo Adell went 2 for 3 with an RBI but was thrown out at home trying to score from second base on Anthony Rendon’s infield single deep in the hole at shortstop. Reds first baseman Spencer Steer’s throw got to the plate well ahead of Adell.

“With the backhand there, we were trying to push the issue and make them make a perfect play, and obviously I got beat by a good amount of steps there,” Adell said.

Adell also was the first hitter to face Cincinnati reliever Fernando Cruz after the Angels chased Reds starter Nick Lodolo (2-0) in the top of the seventh inning with runners on second and third and one out and the hosts clinging to a 2-1 lead.

Washington elected to keep Adell in the game to face the right-handed Cruz, and Adell and Zach Neto each struck out looking to end the threat.

“He was swinging the bat well,” Washington said of his decision to keep Adell in to face a right-hander. “It was the seventh inning, he was swinging the bat well, the infield was in. I thought he was the perfect guy to get the ball to the outfield. It just didn’t work out.”

The same could be said of Washington’s decision to go to Adam Cimber after Tyler Anderson (2-2) threw seven strong innings for the third time in four starts this season.

Cimber allowed two walks and one hit to load the bases before hitting Nick Martini to force in a run, making it 3-1.

Jose Cisneros came in and threw a wild pitch to make it 4-1 before surrendering De La Cruz’s sixth homer of the year on the next pitch.

“The pitching was good tonight until that eighth inning, then it got away from us,” Washington said.

Anderson allowed just two runs, one earned, while striking out two and walking three.

“I think I got away with some there,” Anderson said. “I just wanted to go out there and be in the zone as much as I could, but obviously it didn’t work out that way.”

After De La Cruz manufactured the first run with the single and two steals, the Angels (9-11) tied the score in the fifth when Adell singled home Luis Rengifo. But in the sixth, Anderson got two quick outs and guessed wrong when facing Cincinnati catcher Tyler Stephenson, who hit his first pitch 433 feet into the upper deck in left field to break the tie.

“I had walked him on the previous at-bat, and I thought with the two quicks out there he might not be swinging,” Anderson said. “I tried to sneak one by, probably not the pitch I wanted to throw. I threw it anyway, didn’t hit my spot and then he put a good swing on it.”

The loss dropped the Angels to 3-5 on their 10-game road trip.

The teams will meet again Saturday at 3:40 p.m. PT.