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?
Davey Williams made sure that the New York Giants would win the series over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium.
A two-run single in the eighth inning by Williams off Reds starter Pat Darcy gave New York a 4-2 win over the Reds as the Giants claimed three of the four contests.
The two squads had split the previous four contests, so now the Giants have 5-3 record to lead the season series with the Reds.
The Reds scored in the first inning against Giants starter Don Liddle as Johnny Bench knocked in Dave Concepcion with a single.
New York bounced back with a pair of runs in the third to take the lead. Whitey Lockman had a RBI single and he later scored on a double by Don Mueller.
Bench tied it in the bottom of the third as he drove in Concepcion with a single.
The scored remained tied until the top of the eighth when Williams ended the day for Darcy (8-4), who was tagged with the loss.
Hoyt Wilhelm earned a save as he retired Bench in the ninth with Concepcion standing at third base.
After splitting an eight-game homestand, the Reds face a road trip with three games in Los Angeles and three more against the Giants.
Don Gullett (14-4) will start the opener as he looks for his fourth win against Los Angeles this season, while Fernando Valenzuela is slated get the ball for the Dodgers.
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 (70-37)
1954 Giants (5-3)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (3-8)
1975 Padres (3-11)