ANAHEIM — Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain grew up a Los Angeles Angels fan, about 10 minutes from Angel Stadium. He stayed close to home when he went to college at UCLA, before the Reds eventually drafted him in the first round two years ago.
“It’ll be cool,” he said simply of playing his first big-league game at his hometown ballpark with dozens of friends and family in the seats behind the visitors dugout.
McLain then hit an opposite-field home run off former All-Star Lucas Giolito in his first hometown at-bat as a big-leaguer.
Talk about cool.