C.J. Cron goes yard twice and the Angels take down the Reds 4-2

Angels 4 Reds 2

The Angels came into tonight’s game against the Reds with a nice little surge of well-played baseball behind them; they were looking at a chance to win their fourth game in a row and their third series in a row, much to the delight of the die-hards still sticking with them through this rough month/season.

I am happy to report the Angels are still in their winning spirits.

This was a night for C.J. Cron to show off his offensive talents, or rather, CONTINUE to show off his offensive talents, because just like last night, the dude went yard. TWICE. Cron hit a moster, 431 ft, two-run shot in the first inning, putting the Angels up early and giving a nice little gift to starter Jered Weaver.

In the third, Cron once again took Cincinnati starter Tim Adleman deep, this time a solo bomb, and he now had three homers in two games, racking up regular old singles and doubles along the way, and driving in more than his fair share of RBIs. Yep, Cron’s bat is hot again, just like we got a taste of before he broke his hand.

Jered Weaver was having a bit of a studly night himself. He was basically cruising through the first six innings, which, OK, it’s the Reds and they’re not some offensive juggernaut, but Weaver still held them in check quite nicely.

He was riding Cron’s three runs to a 3-0 lead, six scoreless frames, and was in 80 pitch territory in seventh inning when he gave up a base hit, followed by a two-run homer to Eugenio Suarez, and then a single to follow that. Three consecutive hits, including the homer, and now it was a one run game, Angels up 3-2. Weaver’s night was done, and in came Mike Morin to finish out the seventh.

The eighth would also get a little hairy for the Halos, as the Reds threatened, but the Angels got out without any damage, even though it took three strikeouts from three different pitchers (Morin, Jose Alvarez and J.C. Ramirez). In the bottom of the eighth, the Angels would quickly strike back and through some singles from Trout and Pujols, and then an RBI single from Andrelton Simmons, they had a much needed insurance run; Angels up 4-2.

Fernando Salas came on in the ninth, as we’ve gotten accustomed to seeing, and although he gave up a double and a walk, doing his best to remind us why we typically don’t say his name kindly, he ultimately got the pesky Reds out and the Halo was once again lit.

So, that’s four games in a row, three series wins in a row, six out of their last seven; good hitting, good pitching. Huh. Interesting.