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 was able to break open a tight contest as the Reds went on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 in the series finale of a four-game set at at Riverfront Stadium.
With the score tied at 2-2, Cincinnati’s Dave Concepcion smacked a solo homer off Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela in the fourth inning.
In the fifth, Johnny Bench had a RBI single and then Tony Perez blasted a two-run shot to extend the margin for the Reds.
Pedro Guerrero closed the gap for the Dodgers to 6-4 when he hit a two-run homer of Reds starter Don Gullett in the sixth.
However, the Reds were able answer in the seventh when Ken Griffey had a solo homer and Concepcion added a RBI single.
Gullett (14-4) beat Valenzuela and the Dodgers for the third straight time this season as he allowed all four runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Clay Carroll and Will McEnaney blanked the Giants over the final two innings.
Valenzuela worked six frames giving up six runs on five hits. The rookie lefty fanned seven, but he was hurt by five walks.
Dodgers Grab Early Lead
Ron Cey put the Dodgers on top with a two-run homer in the second inning.
The Reds tied it with a pair of runs in the third on a RBI double by Bench and a run-scoring single by George Foster.
Cincinnati opens a four-game series against the New York Giants with Gary Nolan (11-5) on the mound. The Giants will counter with Ruben Gomez.
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 (69-34)
1954 Giants (2-2)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (3-8)
1975 Padres (3-11)