Queen City Crush: Angels Overpower Reds 10–2 in Series Opener at Great American Ball Park .v1

CINCINNATI – The “Great American Ball Park” turned into a launching pad for the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. Opening their first major road trip of April, the Halos unleashed a balanced offensive assault to dismantle the Cincinnati Reds in a 10–2 blowout. The win not only silenced the home crowd but signaled that the Angels’ bats are officially heating up with the spring weather.

The tone was set early in the top of the second inning when Yoán Moncada and Josh Lowe drew key walks to load the bases against Reds’ starter Chase Burns. Veteran Adam Frazier then showed elite plate discipline, drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in the game’s first run. The Halos’ “small-ball” approach quickly transitioned to power in the third, as Moncada dropped a flare into shallow left that scored Jorge Soler, who reached earlier on a sharp single.

The real fireworks, however, arrived in the fourth. Shortstop Zach Neto continued his torrid start to the 2026 campaign, launching a towering two-run home run (his 5th of the season) deep into the center-field bleachers. Not to be outdone, Josh Lowe added his own exclamation point in the sixth with a solo blast to right field, his second of the year. By the time the Reds’ bullpen took over, the game was firmly in Anaheim’s control.

“We talked about being aggressive in the zone and making their starters work,” said manager Kurt Suzuki. “When we put pressure on the bases early, it opens up the power for guys like Neto and Lowe. It was a total team effort tonight.” With the offense clicking and the defense playing error-free baseball, the Angels looked like a complete unit, cruising to a victory that moved them back toward the .500 mark.