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 had plenty of chances, but the Reds couldn’t produce as Montreal won the series finale 9-8 at Riverfront Stadium with the Expos taking two of three games.
The Reds may have scored eight runs, but six of them came in the bottom of the ninth after they stranded 15 runners and left the bases loaded three times.
Bill Plummer had a RBI single for Cincinnati against Expos starter Dennis Blair in the first inning, but that would prove to be on the only lead for the Reds.
Montreal’s offense quickly answered and eventually knocked Reds starter Jack Billingham (11-4) out in the fifth.
Mike Jorgensen smacked a solo homer leading off the second. Pat Scanlon added a RBI double to make it 2-1.
In the third, Jerry White hit a homer in the third and it was 3-1. Dan Driessen got the Reds closer with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the third.
Billingham would be gone in the fifth after getting just one out when Jorgensen blasted a three-run homer to make it 6-2.
Clay Carroll took over for Billinghan and kept the Expos off the scoreboard until the eighth.
White and Pete Mackanin had RBI singles, while Larry Biittner added a sacrifice fly and the Expos were ahead 9-2.
The Reds rallied in the ninth, but came up short as Don DeMola recorded a save.
Blair began the ninth by walking Joe Morgan and giving up a single to Driessen before Terry Crowley had a RBI single.
Dale Murray entered the game and didn’t retire a batter. Plummer had a run-scoring single and Darrel Chaney reached on an error. Tony Perez had a pinch-hit single that drove in two runs as the Reds got closer at 9-7.
DeMola allowed the final run on a ground out by Pete Rose, but he was able to slam the door on the Reds to preserve the win for the Expos.
Cincinnati welcomes the Chicago Cubs for a two-game series with Pat Darcy (8-4) getting the start for the Reds. Jason Hammel gets the ball for the Cubs.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1971 Pirates (3-2)
1969 Mets (7-5)
1975 Expos (4-8)
2016 Cubs (3-4)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1954 Giants (7-4)
1975 Reds (72-44)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)