Cincinnati Reds miss chance to move into playoff position with loss to Angels

ANAHEIM, California – A few hours before the Cincinnati Reds took the field for the finale of a three-gamer against the Los Angeles Angels, one of the guys in the Reds clubhouse glanced up at the TV and saw a scoreless update of the Mets-Nationals game.

“One time, Nats,” he said. “One time.”

And just like that, as if he’d rubbed a lamp, in Disney’s hometown, the wish was granted. The Nationals beat the Mets. The Reds were a half-game out of playoff position.

But the lamp was short on Reds wishes and playoff dreams on this night, even in this most magical place for the Reds in recent years.

By the time the pixie dust settled on the Angels' seven-batter eighth, they took the lead that held up for their first victory over the Reds since 2019, a 2-1 decision that kept the Reds on the outside of the NL playoff picture looking in for at least one more day.

Bryce Teodosio led off the Angels eighth with a double into the left-field corner off Graham Ashcraft and scored the go-ahead run two batters later on Luis Rengifo's soft single to left. The Angels loaded the bases before Brent Suter eventually struck out Jo Adell to end the threat.

But the Reds' 10-game winning streak against the Angels was over. And they missed their first shot to regain a share of a playoff position since April 29, when they were 16-13 and tied with the Phillies for the third wild-card spot.

Reds starter Nick Martinez, who might be back in the bullpen a week from now if Nick Lodolo’s ready to return from a finger blister, held the Angels to a run on two hits – one a fourth-inning home run by Yoan Moncada – over six efficient innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

The Reds led until the Moncada homer. Ke’Bryan Hayes delivering a leadoff double in the third and scoring on Noelvi Marte’s two-out single.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds lose to Angels, still out of MLB wild card spot