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?
Doug Flynn became a hero for Cincinnati as the Reds ended a two-game losing streak with a 9-8 victory over the New York Giants in 11 innings at Riverfront Stadium.
With Hoyt Wilhelm on the mound for the Giants in the 11th, Merv Rettenmund walked with one out. George Foster then blasted a double that moved Rettenmund to third.
At this point, Giants manager Leo Durocher was faced with the option of walking Flynn to load the bases to pitch to the next hitter.
Durocher picked Flynn despite him being eighth in the batting order because Johnny Bench was in the ninth spot thanks to an earlier double switch in the fifth.
Flynn responded with a fly ball that allowed Rettenmund to race home with the winning run.
Will McEnaney (6-2) picked up the win for the Reds by working a scoreless 11th.
Early Lead for Reds
Terry Crowley‘s two run single in the first inning off Giants starter Jim Hearn gave the Reds an early lead.
A two-run homer by New York’s Dusty Rhodes tied the contest in the second off Cincinnati starter Jack Billingham.
The Reds answered in the bottom of the second to make it 3-2 as Joe Morgan walked with the bases loaded.
Big Swings for Giants
Willie Mays touched up Billingham with a solo shot in the fourth to tie it again at 3-3.
Don Mueller ended the day for Billingham in the fifth as he blasted a three-run homer to put the Giants on top 6-3.
In the top of the seventh, Clay Carroll was in his second inning of relief for the Reds when he surrendered a two-run homer to Al Dark as the Giants built an 8-3 advantage.
The Comeback
Hearn was running out of gas in the bottom of the seventh.
With one out, Hearn walked his seventh hitter of the game as Tony Perez coaxed a free pass.
Crowley singled to moved Perez to second and Rettenmund followed with a RBI single.
Foster entered the affair as a pinch-hitter for Carroll and knocked in Crowley with a double.
New York was still in front 8-5 when Windy McCall was summonded from the bullpen. He gave up a RBI single to Flynn and a sacrifice fly to Bench and the Reds trailed 8-7.
Cincinnati was able to tie the game at 8-8 in the eighth inning against McCall.
After striking out Dave Concepcion, McCall walked Morgan, who was later caught trying to steal second.
Perez doubled to keep the Reds alive and then Crowley doubled to tie it.
Clay Kirby held the Giants without a run for three innings, while Marv Grissom blanked the Reds for two frames to set the stage for Flynn to be a hero.
Pat Darcy (8-3) gets the ball from Reds manager Sparky Anderson in the series finale, while Don Liddle is set to start for New York.
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 (70-36)
1954 Giants (4-3)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (3-8)
1975 Padres (3-11)