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 two-game losing skid is over for Cincinnati as the Reds beat the New York Giants 7-5.
George Foster made sure of the victory as he blasted a pair of homers, including a grand slam as the slugger drove in six runs.
After Ruben Gomez fanned the side in a 1-2-3 first inning, the Reds touched up the Giants starter for a pair of runs.
Johnny Bench led off with a single and then Foster’s two-run homer put the Reds on top 2-0 in the second.
Don Mueller cut the deficit in half as he singled to drive in the first run of the game for the Giants in the third.
A RBI single by Dave Concepcion in the fourth put the Reds up 3-1.
Reds starter and eventual winning pitcher Fred Norman (2-2) gave up a RBI single to Whitey Lockman in the fifth.
Foster’s grand slam sent Gomez to the showers in the fifth and provided the Reds all of the runs they would need.
The Giants added another run in the sixth on a single by Hank Thompson, but a two-run homer by Mueller in the eighth ended Norman’s day.
Clay Carroll retired the Giants in the eighth without allowing another score.
Rawly Eastwick pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.
The Reds continue their homestand as they entertain the Milwaukee Braves for a three-game series.
Don Gullett (3-1) takes the mound for Cincinnati, while Bob Trowbridge starts for the Braves.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1967 Cardinals (0-0)
1969 Mets (0-0)
1971 Pirates (0-0)
1975 Expos (0-0)
2008 Phillies (0-0)
2016 Cubs (0-0)
West Division
1975 Reds (16-7)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1975 Padres (1-2)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1957 Braves (0-2)