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?
A quick start helped Cincinnati as the Reds went on to post a 9-6 victory over the Houston Astros in Minute Maid Park.
The Reds scored three times in the first inning of the opener of the three-game series.
Pete Rose, Ken Griffey and Joe Morgan all singled off Astros starter Charlie Morton to begin the contest.
Johnny Bench doubled to drive home Rose and Griffey. After Morton fanned George Foster and Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion added a run-scoring single to make it 3-0.
Cincinnati’s advantage remained the same until the top of the fifth as Cesar Geronimo‘s RBI double made it 4-0.
Jack Billingham (13-9) kept Houston off the scoreboard through four frames before the Astros picked up a run in the fifth on a RBI single by Brian McCann.
In the sixth, Morton’s day ended as the Reds loaded the bases. Chris Devenski caught Bench looking at a third strike before he walked Foster to force in a run.
Yuli Gurriel tagged Billingham for a two-run homer in the sixth to cut Houston’s deficit to 5-3.
Cincinnai expanded its margin in the seventh. Devenski could only get one out before he gave up a two-run blast to Griffey, which was his fourth hit of the day.
After Devenski walked Morgan, Houston manager AJ Hinch called Will Harris from the bullpen. Bench greeted Harris with a two-run bomb that put the Reds in front 9-3.
On his way to a win, Billingham got in trouble with one out in the seventh as Carlos Correa singled and Gurriel doubled.
Reds manager Sparky Anderson summoned Clay Carroll to the mound. Carroll retired Marwin Gonzalez on a tapper back to the pitcher known as The Hawk, but McCann proved to be much more difficult as he drilled a three-run homer to make it 9-6.
Carroll induced Alex Bregman to ground out to end the rally.
Will McEnaney closed the door on the Astros with a scoreless final frame to earn his ninth save of the season.
The Reds (.599) need to win their final five games to set up a playoff game against the New York Giants (.611) for the National League West title.
Rookie Pat Darcy (10-7) will make his final start of the regular season in the second contest of the series as the Astros counter with Lance McCullers Jr.
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 (11-7)
1975 Reds (94-63)
1957 Braves (7-8)
1981 Dodgers (7-11)
2017 Astros (6-10)
1975 Padres (4-14)