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 was able to hang on for a victory in the first road game of the season for the Reds as they defeated San Diego 5-2.
George Foster led the Reds with three hits, while Johnny Bench knocked in three runs.
Dave Roberts topped the Padres with three hits.
Bench got the scoring started in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly off Padres starter Dave Freisleben, who would work seven innings allowing two runs on nine hits with two strikeouts.
Roberts tied the game in the fifth with a home run off Reds starter Jack Billingham, who would be in his final frame on the mound.
Billingham (1-0) would end up as the winning pitcher as the Reds would score in the top of the sixth when Ken Griffey picked up a RBI after beating out an attempted double play.
The Reds scored three times in the eighth off relievers Dave Tomlin and Bill Greif.
Pete Rose had a run-scoring double off Tomlin, while Bench drove home a pair with a single against Greif.
Clay Carroll had two scoreless innings for the Reds in relief of Billingham before giving way to Pedro Borbon.
After a perfect eighth, Borbon surrendered a solo homer to Willie McCovey in the ninth.
The Padres continued to hit Borbon. Needing just one out, Reds manager Sparky Anderson called on Rawly Eastwick.
Eastwick walked pinch hitter Ted Kubiak to load the bases before getting Tito Fuentes to ground out to earn his first save of the season.
Game two of the series features Don Gullett (1-0) on the mound for the Reds with Dan Spillner going for the Padres.
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 (3-1)
1954 Giants (0-0)
1957 Braves (0-0)
2017 Astros (0-0)
1981 Dodgers (1-2)
1975 Padres (0-1)