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?
Sometimes a tie is better than losing.
After Cincinnati won 5-3 over the Milwaukee Braves, the Reds extended the regular season by a game as they finished in a tie for first place with the New York Giants in the National League West with a .611 winning percentage.
Having won the coin flip between the two teams, the Reds play the Giants at Riverfront Stadium for the division title in a one-game playoff.
The winner of the affair entertains the New York Mets in the first two contests of the best of five NL Championship Series. The Boston Red Sox and the Oakland A’s square off in the American League Championship Series.
With their backs to the wall, the Reds rallied in the seventh inning to come out on top and claim their sixth straight victory to set up game number 163.
A run-scoring double with one out in the top of the seventh by Milwaukee’s Johnny Logan gave the Braves a 3-2 advantage. Logan’s hit also ended the day for Reds starter Jack Billingham.
Reds manager Sparky Anderson called Will McEnaney from the bullpen to face Eddie Mathews with Logan at second. After McEnaney retired Mathews on a fly ball to Cesar Geronimo center, the Reds lefty fanned Hank Aaron to end the threat.
Braves starter Gene Conley was cruising along after allowing a two-run single to George Foster in the first inning.
In the seventh, Pete Rose led of with a single. Ken Griffey followed with a single to move Rose to third.
Joe Morgan‘s sacrifice fly tied the contest at 3-3.
After Johnny Bench fouled out, Foster feasted on another pitch from Antonelli as his two-run homer gave the Reds the lead for good.
McEnaney (9-3) tossed a perfect eighth to earn the victory for the Reds.
Rawly Eastwick gave up a double to Del Rice before getting the final three outs to pick up his 23rd save.
Earlier in the game, the Braves tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Aaron in the third and a solo homer by Rice in the fourth to set the stage for the critical seventh inning.
A pair of aces will take the mound in the one-game showdown as Cincinnati has Don Gullett (19-8) looking cash in on his fourth chance for his 20th victory of the season, while Johnny Antonelli starts 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
1975 Reds (99-63)
1954 Giants (11-7)
1957 Braves (7-11)
1981 Dodgers (7-11)
2017 Astros (6-12)
1975 Padres (4-14)