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?
Another walk-off victory.
Unfortunately for the Cincinnati Reds, they were on the wrong side of the score as the St. Louis Cardinals won 5-4 in 11 innings at Busch Stadium.
Rawly Eastwick was the victim for the Reds as he began the 11th by walking Mike Shannon.
Julian Javier ended the affair by hitting a ball into the right field corner for a triple as Shannon was able to slide under the tag by Johnny Bench after relay throws from Ken Griffey and Joe Morgan.
Joe Hoerner picked up the win for the Cardinals with two scoreless innings of relief after starter Bob Gibson gave up four runs in nine frames with eight strikeouts.
Reds starter Don Gullett left the game in the ninth after he surrendered a single to Javier. Gullett gave up five hits with six strikeouts before hitting the showers.
Eastwick, who was looking for his 19th save, blew the opportunity after retiring the first two hitters he faced.
After advancing to second on a ground out by Dal Maxvill, Javier scored on a single by Lou Brock to tie the contest. Eastwick prevented a walk-off hit by Curt Flood as he was able to retire him on a line drive to Pete Rose at third.
Shannon got the scoring started in the fifth when he hit a solo homer of Gullett.
The Reds answered against Gibson with RBI singles in the top of the sixth from Morgan, George Foster, Tony Perez and Concepcion, who had the walk-off homer in the most recent Cincinnati victory.
In the bottom of the sixth, Shannon added a two-run single to cut the St. Louis deficit to 4-3 to set up the late inning heroics.
Gary Nolan (12-8) gets the start for Cincinnati in the middle contest of the three-game series, while Dick Hughes will be on the mound for the Cardinals.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (5-4)
1971 Pirates (4-5)
1975 Expos (4-8)
1967 Cardinals (2-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1954 Giants (7-4)
1975 Reds (75-48)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)