Editor’s note: The 1970 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams from 1973-79 when games are played at home. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
A pair of runs in the fifth inning made the difference for the 1979 Baltimore Orioles on the way to a 4-3 victory over the 1972 Cincinnati Reds in the 1970s Diamond Gems Tournament.
With the win, the Orioles will travel in the second round to face the winner of the 1975 Boston Red Sox at 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers affair.
Trailing by a run in the bottom of the fifth, the Orioles rallied against Reds starter Gary Nolan.
Rich Dauer led off the frame with a walk before Nolan retired Rick Dempsey and Al Bumbry.
Kiko Garcia tripled to bring home Dauer. Ken Singleton followed with a RBI single that gave the Orioles the lead.
From that point after giving up hits to Tony Perez and Joe Morgan, Baltimore starter Mike Flanagan retired the final seven batters to put the game away.
Flanagan (1-0) allowed six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in his complete game effort.
The Reds touched up Flanagan in the first inning for all three of their runs.
Morgan walked with one out and swiped second before scoring on a single by Bob Tolan. Tolan promptly stole second and Johnny Bench walked.
Perez smacked a double, which scored Tolan and moved Bench to third.
Hal McRae hit a sacrifice fly and the Reds were on top 3-0.
The Orioles were able to answer in their half of the first as Singleton and Pat Kelly both had RBI singles to cut Baltimore’s deficit to 3-2.
Nolan (0-1) was charged with all four runs after he left the game with two outs in the sixth as he gave up eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Pedro Borbon got the final out of the sixth and the first one in the seventh before Tom Hall shut down the Orioles the rest of the way.
1970s Diamond Gems Tournament
Second Round Schedule
1974 Los Angeles Dodgers at 1979 Montreal Expos
1971 Pittsburgh Pirates at 1975 Cincinnati Reds
First Round Results and Schedule
1979 Montreal Expos 5, 1970 Baltimore Orioles 0
1974 Los Angeles Dodgers 5, 1978 Boston Red Sox 1
1975 Cincinnati Reds 3, 1976 Philadelphia Phillies 2
1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 13, 1978 New York Yankees 7
1979 Baltimore Orioles 4, 1972 Cincinnati Reds 3
1975 Boston Red Sox at 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers
1977 Kansas City Royals at 1972 Oakland A’s
1979 Pittsburgh Pirates at 1970 Minnesota Twins