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’s offense exploded in the first inning against Philadelphia starter Jamie Moyer as the Reds went on to an 11-3 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Moyer faced seven hitters and didn’t retire any of them as they eventually all scored.
Here’s the lowdown.
Pete Rose singled and Joe Morgan walked. Johnny Bench singled to drive in Rose. George Foster singled to knock in Morgan.
Tony Perez walked and the bases were loaded. Merv Rettenmund cleared the bases with a triple that bounced off the wall away from Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell.
The outburst was so quick that Phillies manager Charlie Manual couldn’t get a reliever ready in time to stop the onslaught.
After Dave Concepcion singled, Manual was able to get J.A. Happ to the mound, who fanned Doug Flynn and Reds starting pitcher Gary Nolan.
Rose got his second single of the frame that drove in Concepcion with the seveth run.
The Phillies came to life in the second with a two-run single by Chris Coste and a RBI single in the third by Burrell, but they couldn’t recover.
With Happ still pitching in the fifth, the Reds got a sacrifice fly from Rose and then another from Foster. Perez followed with a RNI single and it was 10-3.
Foster’s solo homer in the seventh off Rudy Seanez was the final tally of the contest.
Nolan went the distance for the Reds as he allowed seven hits with seven strikeouts.
The Reds had 20 hits as Rettenmund topped the squad with four hits with Rose, Morgan and Perez finishing with three apiece.
Chase Utley and Jayson Werth led the Phillies with two hits each.
Cincinnati continues its East Coast road trip through New York, Philadelphia and Montreal as the Reds visit Jarry Park for a three-game series.
Fred Norman (3-3) gets the start for the Reds in the opener, while the Expos counter with Woodie Fryman.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (2-1)
2008 Phillies (1-3)
1967 Cardinals (0-0)
1971 Pirates (0-0)
1975 Expos (0-0)
2016 Cubs (0-0)
West Division
1975 Reds (24-12)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1957 Braves (2-3)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1975 Padres (1-5)