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?
From the perspective of the Chicago Cubs, one of the best things about baseball is that tomorrow is another day.
One day after suffering a loss by helping the Cincinnati Reds with poor defense, the Cubs bounced back with a 6-2 win over the Reds in Wrigley Field.
This time, the Cubs would benefit from the windy conditions as starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks smacked a pitch from Cincinnati’s Fred Norman into the left field basket for the first run of the contest.
The Reds tied the affair in the fifth as they scored as Norman grounded into a double play.
A RBI groundout by Jason Heyward put the Cubs on top 2-1 in the sixth.
Will McEnaney had a rough outing for Cincinnati as he took over for Norman in the eighth hoping to give the Reds a chance in the ninth.
It didn’t happen as the Reds lefty reliever surrendered a three-run homer to Heyward and a solo shot to Addison Russell.
Johnny Bench knocked in a meaningless run with a single in the top of the ninth as Hendricks was able to finish the contest for a complete game. He gave up six hits with seven strikeouts.
Norman (5-5) was tagged with the tough-luck loss even though he gave up just four hits in seven innings with six strikeouts.
Jack Billingham (6-1) takes the mound for the Reds in the finale of the three-game series in Chicago with John Lackey getting the start for the Cubs.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (4-1)
1971 Pirates (3-2)
2016 Cubs (3-3)
1975 Expos (2-4)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (1-6)
West Division
1975 Reds (40-23)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1957 Braves (2-3)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1975 Padres (1-5)