1975 Reds Replay 145: 1981 Dodgers

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?

Los Angeles pitcher Burt Hooton continued his run against the Cincinnati Reds.

Hooton won his fourth game of the season against the Reds as Los Angeles posted a 6-3 victory at Dodger Stadium. The Reds lead the season series against the Dodgers 11-6 with Hooton responsible to four of the losses.

After the Reds scored twice in the first two frames the Dodgers had a power surge to take control of the contest.

Johnny Bench had a sacrifice fly for Cincinnati in the first, while Reds starting pitcher Fred Norman added the other in the second to make it 2-0.

Cincinnati’s lead didn’t last long as the Dodgers scored four times in the bottom of the second.

Steve Yeager hit a two-run homer and the Bill Russell added his blast to make it 3-2 Dodgers. Not to be outdone, Hooton got in the act with the third straight homer off Norman (15-10).

Tony Perez answered for the Reds in the third with a RBI single, but from that point Hooton would allow just two more hits the rest of the way.

In the sixth, the Dodgers sent Norman to the showers as Davey Lopes knocked in a run with a double. Two batters later, Dusty Baker brought home Lopes with a single.

Jack Billingham (12-7) will start the series finale for the Reds, while the Dodgers will send Bob Welch 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)
1967 Cardinals (4-8)
1975 Expos (4-8)
2008 Phillies (2-10)

West Division
1954 Giants (9-5)
1975 Reds (89-56)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (6-11)
1975 Padres (4-14)