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 fourth straight win for the Cincinnati Reds seemed in doubt after one inning.
However, the Reds keep finding a way to get the job done as they posted an 11-6 victory over Philadelphia.
A bases loaded walk and a grand slam in the seventh inning made the difference for the Reds as they completed their comeback.
The Riverfront Stadium crowd was pretty quiet when the Phillies grabbed a 3-0 advantage in the top of the first against Reds starter Jack Billingham.
Jimmy Rollins walked and stole second before Shane Victorino knocked him in with a single.
Later in the inning Jayson Werth smacked a two-run homer and the Phillies were in control.
Johnny Bench drilled a solo homer in the second, but the Phillies got the run back in the top of the fifth on a RBI single by Chase Utley.
The Reds were finally able to answer in the bottom of the fifth with three runs to tie the affair at 4-4.
With one out, Dave Concepcion was called on to pinch-hit for Billingham. He delivered with a single and a stolen base before Pete Rose drove in home with a double.
After Ken Griffey was retired by Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick, Joe Morgan had an infield single that moved Rose to third.
Morgan stole second, but Phillies manager Charlie Manuel decided not to walk Bench to face George Foster.
As a result, Bench’s two-run single tied the game.
Reds pitcher Clay Carroll worked a perfect sixth before experiencing some major problems in the seventh.
With two outs, Victorino and Utley singled before Ryan Howard was walked to load the bases. Carroll was able to end the threat as he got Werth to pop out to Reds first baseman Tony Perez.
Ryan Madson took over on the mound for Kendrick in the bottom of the seventh and it didn’t go well for the Phillies reliever as he would get tagged with the loss.
Rose singled and after Griffey grounded out, Morgan walked and Bench singled to jam the bases with Reds.
Reds manager Sparky Anderson picked Dan Driessen to hit for Carroll, who was in the five spot in the order due to the earlier lineup switch with Foster.
Madson walked Driessen to give the Reds a 5-4 lead. Perhaps losing concentration after the bases loaded walk, Madson made a fatal mistake with Perez as he drilled a grand slam to make it 9-4.
Clay Condrey came on to eventully end the rally, but the damage had been done.
In the eighth, both teams added two runs.
Victorino had a two-run single off Reds reliever Pedro Borbon, while Bench had his fourth hit of the contest with a RBI double against Chad Durbin before Perez knocked in the final tally with a single.
Carroll (4-1) got the win for the Reds as he didn’t allow a run in his two frames. Although not a save situation, Borbon tossed the final two innings for Cincinnati.
Billingham worked five innings allowing four runs on six hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts.
The second contest of the three-game series will have a match-up between Cincinnati rookie Pat Darcy (7-3) and Philadelphia’s Adam Eaton.
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 (1-7)
West Division
1975 Reds (55-30)
1954 Giants (2-2)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
1975 Padres (3-11)