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 Reds manager Sparky Anderson made the right decision.
After Reds lefty Don Gullett failed in his last three starts to win his 20th game of the season, Anderson kept the faith in his ace.
Gullett (20-8) fanned 10 and surrendered eight hits in a complete game effort that resulted in a 2-1 victory over the New York Giants at Riverfront Stadium in the one-game playoff for the National League West division championship.
It was the seventh straight win for the Reds, who needed the streak to reach the division showdown.
The Reds will stay at home to face the NL East champion New York Mets in the first two contests of the NL Championship Series.
The Giants got on the scoreboard in the second inning on a RBI single by Wes Westrum, but the lead wouldn’t last very long.
In the bottom of the second, Giants starter Johnny Antonelli walked Dave Concepcion with two outs.
Concepcion swiped second and then scored on a double by Cesar Geronimo.
One inning later, another walk hurt Antonelli.
With one out Ken Griffey reached base with the free pass. Joe Morgan followed with a double that had Griffey racing home from first with the go-ahead run.
From that point, both pitchers took control. Gullett gave up four hits, but the Giants never had a series threat.
Antonelli was even better, but the damage had already been done by the Reds. Antonelli gave up four hits in eight innings with six strikeouts.
With four days off before the beginning of the post-season, the Reds will again start Gullett in the NLCS opener, while the Mets will counter with Tom Seaver.
In the American League, the Oakland A’s have Ken Holtzman (18-14) starting the first game in Boston as Luis Tiant (18-14) will be on the mound for the Red Sox.
1975 Reds Replay Post-Season Schedule
American League Championship Series
Game 1 – Oakland (Ken Holtzman 18-14) at Boston (Luis Tiant 18-14)
Game 2 – Oakland (Vida Blue 22-11) at Boston (Rick Wise 19-12)
Game 3 – Boston (Bill Lee 17-9) at Oakland (Dick Bosman 11-4)
Game 4 – Boston at Oakland, if necessary
Game 5 – Boston at Oakland, if necessary
National League Championship Series
Game 1 – New York (Tom Seaver 25-7) at Cincinnati (Don Gullett 20-8)
Game 2 – New York (Jerry Koosman 17-9) at Cincinnati (Gary Nolan 18-10)
Game 3 – Cincinnati (Fred Norman 16-11) at New York (Gary Gentry 13-12)
Game 4 – Cincinnati at New York, if necessary
Game 5 – Cincinnati at New York, if necessary
World Series
Game 1 – NL at AL
Game 2 – NL at AL
Game 3 – AL at NL
Game 4 – AL at NL
Game 5 – AL at NL, if necessary
Game 6 – NL at AL, if necessary
Game 7 – NL at AL, if necessary
Final 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 (100-63)
1954 Giants (11-8)
1957 Braves (7-11)
1981 Dodgers (7-11)
2017 Astros (6-12)
1975 Padres (4-14)