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?
A fast start by the Chicago Cubs was responsible for a 10-5 victory over Cincinnati as the Reds dropped their second straight.
Cincinnati’s Pat Darcy (5-2) had his five-game winning streak snapped as he left the Riverfront Stadium mound with one out in the second as the Cubs built a five-run advantage.
Kris Bryant had a RBI triple and then he later scored on a ground out by Anthony Rizzo as the Cubs scored twice in the first inning.
In the second, Chicago added three more runs to lead 5-0.
Dexter Fowler reached on an two-base error that allowed two runs to score, while Bryant picked up a RBI single.
With Clay Carroll taking over for Darcy, the Cubs made it 6-0 when Javier Baez knocked in a run on a fielder’s choice.
Joe Morgan hit a solo homer for the Reds in the third off Cubs starter Jason Hammel, who would go the distance for the victory.
Cesar Geronimo added a RBI single in the fourth and the Reds trailed 6-2.
Both teams scored all of the remaining runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
David Ross homered in the sixth for Chicago and George Foster had a two-run shot for the Reds in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 7-4.
Addison Russell had a RBI single in the seventh before Ross banged out a two-run double to make it 10-4.
Pete Rose drove in the final run for the Reds with a double in the bottom of the seventh.
Fowler and Jason Heyward led the Cubs with three hits each, while Tony Perez also three hits for the Reds.
Don Gullett (6-3) is set to start the second contest of the four-game series for the Reds as Jon Lester is scheduled for the Cubs.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
2016 Cubs (1-0)
1969 Mets (4-1)
1975 Expos (2-4)
1971 Pirates (1-2)
2008 Phillies (1-6)
1967 Cardinals (0-3)
West Division
1975 Reds (36-18)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1957 Braves (2-3)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1975 Padres (1-5)