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?
The New York Giants continued their dominance of the Cincinnati Reds with a 4-1 victory in the opener of a four-game series at the Polo Grounds.
New York has a 10-5 edge in the season series with three contests remaining.
Ken Griffey‘s RBI single in the third off Giants starter Don Liddle proved to be the only offense the Reds could muster.
The Giants tied the contest at 1-1 as Liddle smacked a run-scoring in the sixth.
Reds rookie starter Pat Darcy (10-6) got in trouble in the seventh.
Al Dark walked to begin the frame and Don Mueller followed with a single.
Willie Mays sent Darcy to the showers with a RBI single that put the Giants on top.
Reds manager Sparky Anderson called Will McEnaney out the bullpen, but it didn’t help as the Giants were able to add two more runs that would be charged to Darcy.
Hank Thompson knocked in a run with a single and Dusty Rhodes had a sacrifice fly.
Liddle picked up the win, but needed help in the ninth as Hoyt Wilhelm earned a save.
With one out, Liddle gave up back-to-back singles to Tony Perez and Dave Concepcion.
Wilhelm fanned Cesar Geronimo and induced pinch-hitter Dan Driessen to hit a grounder for the final out.
In the second game of the series, Don Gullett (19-6) gets a chance for his 20th win of the season for the Reds.
Johnny Antonelli will get the start for the Giants.
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 (10-5)
1975 Reds (89-58)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (7-11)
1975 Padres (4-14)