Stephenson’s 1st career grand slam leads Reds past Angels

CINCINNATI — Tyler Stephenson hit his first career grand slam in the first inning, Stuart Fairchild drove in two runs and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-5 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game interleague series.

Graham Ashcraft pitched into the sixth inning for the Reds, who were coming off a 7-1 win over the Angels on Friday night. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed all five Angels runs and five hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

Nick Martinez pitched three scoreless innings in relief, and Alexis Diaz got the Angels in order in the ninth for his third save.

The Reds jumped all over Angels starter Patrick Sandoval (1-3) in the first inning.

After giving up a run-scoring double to Stuart Fairchild, Sandoval walked Jeimer Candelario and Elly De La Cruz, sandwiched around a strikeout by Christian Encarnacion-Strand. That set up Stephenson’s bases-loaded shot to right field that came down on the bullpen roof just inside the foul pole.

Sandoval got through four innings, allowing seven runs and six hits, striking out six and walking five.

De La Cruz finished with a career-high four walks.

Miguel Sanó had three hits, finishing a triple shy of the cycle for the Angels. He slugged his first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth inning off Ashcraft. It was his first homer since April 15, 2022, for Minnesota off Boston’s Nick Pivetta.

Spencer Steer had three hits and scored twice for Cincinnati.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon left with a hamstring injury after legging out an infield single to lead off the game.

Reds: 3B Jeimer Candelario and 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand were back in the lineup after missing most of the week with illness.

UP NEXT

Reds right-hander Frankie Montas (2-2, 4.34 ERA) faces Angels right-hander José Soriano (0-2, 4.80 ERA) in the finale of the three-game set.