Albert Pujols has a pair of hits in Angels’ 14-2 loss to Reds
An Angels split squad lost 14-2 to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. They are 1-2 in Cactus League games.
Angels 14, Reds 2
AT THE PLATE: Albert Pujols, whose 2018 campaign was cut short by knee surgery last season, went two for two in his spring debut. He hit a ground ball to deep short and lumbered down the line to leg out an infield single in the first inning, then looped a hit into center field to lead off the fourth. “Albert looked good. His work’s been good the last couple of days,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “(Hitting coach) Jeremy Reed made a point of telling me that.” … Mike Trout and Andrelton Simmons both were hitless in two at-bats. … Third-base candidate Taylor Ward drew a walk to lead off the second inning but was left stranded. … Jared Walsh, in camp as a two-way player, blooped a ball over the head of Reds first baseman Brian O’Grady and wound up sliding safely into second with a double after the ball dribbled into right field in the fourth inning. Walsh scored on a two-run single by minor leaguer Brennon Lund.
ON THE MOUND: Bullpen candidate Noe Ramirez started the fourth inning but was given the hook after recording only one out. He issued three straight walks, allowed a two-run double and gave up a fourth free pass. … Ty Buttrey, who made his major league debut last August after being acquired in a late July trade with the Boston Red Sox, labored in the seventh inning. He was removed with two outs after allowing two walks and two runs. “The important thing is he got his pitches in, he got his work in,” Ausmus said. “It’s one outing — and his first outing.” … Non-roster invitee and starter Forrest Snow threw one inning. He gave up a leadoff single, allowed a pair of stolen bases and was charged with one earned run. … Minor leaguer Zac Ryan, who took over for Snow, faced nine batters and gave up four straight hits, including a three-run homer to Reds third baseman Christian Colon in the second inning. … The Angels allowed 12 walks and 17 hits.
EXTRA BASES: Trout said after he departed the game that he was surprised when Reds starter Vladimir Gutierrez attempted a pick-off of Pujols in the first inning. Pujols had taken a short lead off first base after his single. “I don’t think anybody was expecting that,” Trout said. … “They didn’t really get hits but Luis Rengifo and Ward both had good at-bats, ended up getting on,” Ausmus said. “In spring training you really want the hitters to start getting through the process of swinging at pitches that they can hit, swinging at pitches in the strike zone, and we’ll take a walk as much as anything else here. We want guys on base. The more guys we have on base, the more runs we’ll score.”
UP NEXT: The Angels will host the Milwaukee Brewers at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Monday at 1:10 p.m. Jaime Barria is slated to start. TV: Fox Sports West. Radio: 830.
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