Editor’s note: How good were the 1975 Cincinnati Reds? The best way to end the speculation is to challenge the team with a 162-game season against some great teams. This is a series that will include each game played with the Strat-o-Matic cards and dice, while hoping to reach the 108-54 record that the Reds had that season. Game stories will be published periodically on Press Room Pass through out the year. What’s your predicted victory total?
Cincinnati returned home a little bruised from a series in New York, to find the Los Angeles Dodgers waiting for a twi-night doubleheader at Riverfront Stadium.
The Reds stopped their two-game losing streak with a 4-3 win in the opener, while the Dodgers offense came to life in the second contest with an 11-2 victory.
Johnny Bench‘s two-run single in the seventh was the difference in the first contest.
With two outs in the seventh, Dodgers starter Bob Welch gave up singles to Pete Rose and Ken Griffey. Los Angeles manager Tom Lasorda called Steve Howe from the bullpen and he walked Joe Morgan, which loaded the bases to set the stage for Bench to put the Reds on top.
Dave Stewart came on to get the final out and end the rally.
Jack Billingham (11-3) had survived a three-run homer by Steve Garvey in the first inning to hold the Dodgers scoreless from that point. Billingham gave up seven hits and struck out two without a walk.
After Dusty Baker reached on an error by Tony Perez to begin the top of the ninth, Reds manager Sparky Anderson brought in Will McEnaney to face Rick Monday.
Lasorda countered with pinch-hitter Pedro Guerrero and the Reds lefty retired him on a pop out to Dave Concepcion at short.
Rawly Eastwick was then charged by Anderson to save the affair. Eastwick picked up his 16th save as he fanned Ron Cey an induced Steve Yeager to ground out.
Game Two
Los Angeles had a power surge in game two as the Dodgers banged out 16 hits as they hit four homers and four doubles.
Reds starter Clay Kirby (0-4) got roughed up for six runs before leaving with no one out in the sixth.
Guerrero had a RBI single in the first and then Yeager followed with a homer in the second. Monday added a solo blast in the third.
Darrel Chaney had a run-scoring single for the Reds in the fourth off Dodgers starter Dave Goltz to close the gap to 3-1.
Monday knocked in the first of four runs in the sixth with a double to finish Kirby’s day.
Cincinnati reliever Clay Carroll couldn’t stop the Dodgers. Guerrero and Derrel Thomas both had RBI singles before Yeager capped the rally with a sacrifice fly.
Monday hit another solo blast in the seventh off Carroll. Goltz got in the act as he added a RBI double in the eighth off Pedro Borbon.
Yeager ended the scoring for the Dodgers with a two-run homer off Borbon in the ninth.
In the bottom of the frame, Bench hit for Borbon and drove in the final Reds run with a sacrifice fly.
As a result of facing five batters in the ninth, a tired Goltz couldn’t finish on the mound for the Dodgers. Howe retired Rose, who the final hitter for the Reds.
Game three of the four-game set will have Pat Darcy (7-3) getting the start for the Reds as the Dodgers counter with Bobby Castillo.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1971 Pirates (3-2)
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (3-4)
1975 Expos (2-7)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1975 Reds (67-34)
1954 Giants (2-2)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (3-6)
1975 Padres (3-11)