1975 Reds Replay 129: 2016 Cubs

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?

Home runs can always be important at Wrigley Field.

All of the scoring was via the long ball as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-2.

Cincinnati’s Ken Griffey put the Reds on top in the third inning with a two-run shot off Cubs starter Jake Arrieta.

Dan Driessen hit a solo homer in the fourth to give the Reds a 3-0 advantage.

Back-to-back homers by Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo off Reds starter Gary Nolan cut Chicago’s deficit to a run, but the Cubs couldn’t get score the rest of the way.

Nolan (13-9) picked up the win despite getting into trouble in the eighth after giving up singles to Dexter Fowler and Bryant to begin the frame.

Reds manager Sparky Anderson called southpaw Will McEnaney from the bullpen to face Rizzo.

Rizzo bounced into a double play and then Jason Heyward grounded to first to end the threat.

In the ninth, McEnaney gave up a leadoff double to Ben Zobrist before slamming the door on the Cubs to earn his seventh save of the season.

Game two of the three-game series will feature a mound duel between Cincinnati’s Fred Norman (12-9) and Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks.

National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)

East Division
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (5-5)
1971 Pirates (5-7)
1975 Expos (4-8)
1967 Cardinals (3-6)
2008 Phillies (2-10)

West Division
1954 Giants (8-3)
1975 Reds (79-50)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)