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?
There were a pair of aces on the mound as Cincinnati and St. Louis finished a three-game series, but it was the Reds that ended up with the winning hand as the they blanked the Cardinals 9-0 at Busch Stadium.
Don Gullett went the distance for the Reds, while Bob Gibson was knocked out in the sixth.
In the second inning, the Reds scored three times to take control of the contest.
George Foster homered to lead off the frame and Pete Rose and Ken Griffey added RBI singles.
Gullett helped himself in the fourth as he knocked in a run to make it 4-0.
Gibson, who gave up 13 hits and eight runs, wouldn’t make it out of the sixth. An error by Julian Javier helped the Reds score four unearned runs.
Tony Perez smacked a three-run off to send Gibson to the showers before Dave Concepcion‘s RBI single off Joe Hoerner capped the rally.
Rose finished the contest with a run-scoring single in the ninth off Ron Willis.
Gullett held the Cardinals to five hits with two coming from Tim McCarver and Roger Maris in the fourth before the lefty was able to work out of the jam.
Rose and Cesar Geronimo led the Reds with four hits apiece.
Gary Nolan (5-3) is scheduled to start next for Cincinnati as the Reds travel to Pittsburgh for a three-game set. Dock Ellis will throw for the Pirates in the opener.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (4-1)
1975 Expos (2-4)
2008 Phillies (1-6)
1971 Pirates (0-0)
2016 Cubs (0-0)
1967 Cardinals (0-3)
West Division
1975 Reds (34-16)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1957 Braves (2-3)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1975 Padres (1-5)