JORGE SOLER hit his fourth home run of the season on Friday (Angels photo).

With a 10-2 hammering of the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, the Los Angeles Angels climbed back to .500 and reclaimed sole possession of second place in the American League West.

A 5-1 lead was expanded to a near-blowout with five runs in the top of the eighth inning, most of them on Jorge Soler’s grand slam.

The Halos rattled 10 hits around the Great American Ballpark, including home runs by Jorge Soler (his fourth of the season), Josh Lowe (second) and Zach Neto (fifth). Four players had two hits each and Soler batted in four runs.

One-time Angel superstar Mike Trout continued to struggle, hitting 0-for-4, but he did score one run drove in another. His batting average is .174.
Jack Kochanowicz (2-0) worked seven innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run. He walked four Reds but struck out two as his earned run average dropped to 3.24.

The teams will play again on Saturday.

Max Muncy’s home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning at Chavez Ravine lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a come-from-behind 8-7 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

It was his third round-tripper of the evening. Andy Pages also went deep for the fourth time in 2026.

The win lifted the Blue Crew to 10-3, still first in the National League West.