1975 Reds Replay 144: 1975 Padres

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 8-3 victory over the San Diego Padres resulted in a two-game series sweep and also marked the conclusion of play between the two teams this season.

The win gave the Reds a 14-4 edge in the season series against the Padres.

The Reds got going early against Padres starter Dave Freisleben when Cesar Geronimo had a RBI double in the top of the second inning.

In the third, Joe Morgan led off with a double and then the Padres defense hurt Freisleben.

Morgan scored when Johnny Bench reached second on an error by Padres centerfielder Johnny Grubb. Bench would find his way to the plate on an error by shortstop Enzo Hernandez on a grounder by George Foster.

Ken Griffey gave the Reds a 4-0 advantage in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.

Freisleben’s day came to an end in the fifth after he walked Foster and gave up a double to Dan Driessen.

Dave Tomlin was called from the bullpen by Padres manager John McNamara.

Tomlin retired Dave Concepcion on a grounder to short, but he surrendered a two-run double to Geronimo that put the Reds up 6-0.

San Diego cut the deficit in half against Reds starter Gary Nolan (15-10) with three runs in the bottom of the fifth as the Reds helped the Padres with two errors.

With one out, Bob Davis reached on an error by Nolan and then Henandez got on base thanks to a miscue by Concepcion.

Dave Roberts, who entered the affair on a double switch when Tomlin went to the mound, single home the first run of the frame.

Tito Fuentes knocked in the next run with a single before Grubb beat out an attempted double play to drive in the final tally.

Foster and Concepcion added RBI singles in the sixth off Tomlin as the Reds scored for the final time.

Clay Kirby shut the Padres down the rest of the way as he allowed just a single to Roberts in three innings of work to earn his first save of the season.

The Reds head to Los Angeles for another two-game set that will close out the season series against the Dodgers.

Fred Norman (15-9) gets the start for the Reds, while Dodgers scheduled starter Burt Hooton looks for his fourth win of the season over Cincinnati.

National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)

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

West Division
1954 Giants (9-5)
1975 Reds (89-55)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-11)
1975 Padres (4-14)