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’s Fred Norman tossed a complete game four-hitter as the Reds won their second in a row with an 8-2 victory over Pittsburgh at Riverfront Stadium.
Norman (11-9) had four strikeouts with his only significant blemish coming in the second inning when Manny Sanguillen blasted a two-run homer that gave the Pirates an early lead. He didn’t allow a hit after a double by Dave Cash in the third inning.
In the bottom of the third, the Reds tagged Pittsburgh starter Bob Johnson for three runs to take the lead for good.
Cesar Geronimo led off with a solo homer and Johnny Bench capped the rally with a two-run double.
Johnson was sent to the showers in the fifth as the Reds scored three more times.
Joe Morgan knocked in the first run with a single and Bench drove in two more with a single.
Dan Driessen highlighted the seventh for the Reds with a RBI triple off Bruce Kison, who was in his third inning on the mound in relief of Johnson. Geronimo brought home the final tally with a ground out.
Jack Billingham (11-4) gets the start for the Reds in the third contest of the four-game series, while the Pirates counter with Luke Walker.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (5-4)
1971 Pirates (3-4)
1975 Expos (4-8)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1954 Giants (7-4)
1975 Reds (74-46)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)