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?
There may have been a pair of aces on the mound, but Cincinnati manager Sparky Anderson had the best hand as the Reds were able to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 at Riverfront Stadium.
Don Gullett (17-6) went the distance for the Reds as he limited the Cardinals to five hits.
Bob Gibson also threw a complete game for St. Louis, but the Cardinals star was hurt by the long ball.
In the second inning, George Foster and Tony Perez hit back-to-back homers to put the Reds on top 2-0.
Gullett had some trouble in the fourth as he allowed an unearned run.
After two were out, Gullett gave up a single to Tim McCarver and then walked Roger Maris.
Mike Shannon reached on an error by Perez as the Cardinals loaded the bases. Gullett issued his second walk to the frame to Julian Javier that brought home McCarver.
Gullett retired Dal Maxvill to end the inning and from that point, the Cardinals never really posed a threat.
The Reds added their final tally of the contest in the eighth as Ken Griffey smacked a solo homer.
Gary Nolan (13-9) is set to start the third contest of the four-games series, while the Cardinals will send Dick Hughes to the mound.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (6-6)
1971 Pirates (5-7)
1975 Expos (4-8)
1967 Cardinals (3-7)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1954 Giants (7-4)
1975 Reds (82-51)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)