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?
The Chicago Cubs offense took a few innings to get started, but by the end of the opener of a two-game series they had an 11-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium.
After Anthony Rizzo‘s RBI single in the top of the first game the Cubs a brief lead, Cincinnati had a quick answer.
Joe Morgan had a two-run homer against Cubs starter Jason Hammel in the bottom of the first before Tony Perez added a solo shot to make it 3-1.
Reds starting pitcher Pat Darcy added to the lead with a ground out that knocked in a run.
In the third, the Cubs scored four times to take a 5-4 advantage. Albert Almora had a RBI double and Addison Russell drove in two more with a double. David Ross capped the rally with a run-scoring double.
Darcy (8-5) had his day come to an end in the sixth as he walked Hammel and gave up singles to Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant, which loaded the bases.
Clay Kirby fanned Rizzo before giving up a sacrifice fly to Ben Zobrist. He retired Almora to end the threat.
The Cubs put the game out of reach in the seventh as Bryant hammered a grand slam off Kirby. Ross finished the scoring in the ninth with a homer off Pedro Borbon.
Hammel went the distance for the Cubs and gave up the four runs with three being earned on six hits and eight strikeouts.
Don Gullett (15-5) will start the series finale for the Reds, while Jon Lester is set to go for the Cubs.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1971 Pirates (3-2)
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (4-4)
1975 Expos (4-8)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1954 Giants (7-4)
1975 Reds (72-45)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)