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?
George Foster‘s grand slam proved to be the difference for Cincinnati as the Reds posted a 5-2 victory over Chicago in Wrigley Field.
Foster drove in eight runs in the three-game series as the Reds took two of the contests.
Cincinnati trailed 2-1 as the Reds rallied in the top of the sixth against Cubs starter John Lackey.
Pete Rose led off with a walk. Ken Griffey singled before Joe Morgan coaxed a walk to load the bases.
After Johnny Bench hit a shallow fly ball to Cubs left fielder Ben Zobrist, Foster blasted his shot into the left field bleachers to end Lackey’s day.
Reds starter Jack Billingham (7-1) worked eight innings to get the win allowing four hits with four strikeouts.
Pedro Borbon tossed a perfect ninth to earn his second save of the season.
The Reds took an early lead in the first inning as Bench picked up a RBI single.
Addison Russell drove in the only runs of the contest for the Cubs with a homer off Billingham in the bottom of the second.
Cincinnati returns home to begin a three-game series with Milwaukee as Pat Darcy (5-2) gets the start in the opener for the Reds as he faces Bob Trowbridge of the Braves.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (4-1)
1971 Pirates (3-2)
2016 Cubs (3-4)
1975 Expos (2-4)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (1-6)
West Division
1975 Reds (41-23)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1957 Braves (2-3)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1975 Padres (1-5)