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 pair of unlikely homers and another solid outing by Los Angeles pitcher Burt Hooton spelled doom for Cincinnnati as the Dodgers evened the four-game series at one apiece with a 3-2 victory over the Reds.
Pinch-hitter Derrel Thomas drilled the game-winning two-run homer off Reds starter Fred Norman in the bottom of the eighth.
Norman worked into the eighth as he gave up five hits with five strikeouts before Thomas sent him to the showers at Dodger Stadium.
Ken Landreaux greeted Reds reliever Will McEnaney with a single, but Johnny Bench threw him out trying to steal second. McEnaney retired the next two hitters to send the game to the ninth.
Dave Stewart worked a perfect ninth to earn a save and preserve the victory for Hooton, who now has two wins over the Reds this season. Hooton gave up six hits in eight innings with six strikeouts.
Early Lead
Tony Perez put the Reds on top in the second inning with a homer off Hooton. Bench added a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 2-0.
After having three hits in the opener for the Dodgers, Bill Russell swatted a home run in the third to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The score remained the same until the eighth when Russell led off the bottom of the eighth with a single.
Los Angeles manager Tommy Lasorda then selected Thomas to bat for Hooton, which changed the fortunes of the Dodgers.
The third game in the series features Jack Billingham (1-0) heading to the mound for the Reds, while Bob Welch is set to go for the Dodgers.
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 (5-3)
1954 Giants (0-0)
1957 Braves (0-0)
2017 Astros (0-0)
1981 Dodgers (2-3)
1975 Padres (1-2)