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 opened an important four-game series against the New York Giants with a 4-2 loss at Riverfront Stadium.
Ruben Gomez tossed a complete game for the win as he scattered eight hits with six strikeouts.
Willie Mays got things started for the Giants with a sacrifice fly in the first inning against Reds starter Gary Nolan.
In the third, the Giants went on top 3-0 when Don Mueller had a RBI triple and Mays added a run-scoring double.
The Reds closed the gap in the fourth when Johnny Bench hit a sacrifice fly and Dave Concepcion knocked in a run with a triple.
Nolan (11-6) went the distance for the Reds giving up 10 hits including a solo homer to Davey Williams in the ninth for the final tally of the contest.
Fred Norman (10-7) goes to the mound for the Reds in the second game of the series. Sal Maglie gets the ball for the Giants.
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 (69-35)
1954 Giants (3-2)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (3-8)
1975 Padres (3-11)