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 series has advanced to the post-season as the Reds finished 100-63 in games played with the Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The 1969 New York Mets “won” the NL East with a 7-5 record against the Reds. The ALCS teams are the actual participants in the post-season.
Cincinnati’s Don Gullett delivered again.
The lefty tossed a complete game three-hitter as the Reds defeated the New York Mets 2-1 in the opener of the National League Championship Series at Riverfront Stadium.
Gullett fanned 11 as he reached double digits in strikeouts for the second straight contest. Gullett had 10 strikeouts in game 163 against the Milwaukee Braves as Reds won 2-1.
George Foster‘s two-run triple in the bottom of the first off Mets starter Tom Seaver was all of the offense Gullett would need.
Al Weis had a RBI double in the top of the second to cut the New York deficit in half, but that was all the Mets could muster against Gullett as the Reds won their eighth straight game.
All three of the hits by the Mets happened in the second and Gullett just allowed one more base runner the rest of the way. Weis walked in the eighth.
Seaver was just a good for the Mets. After giving up two hits in the first, Foster’s single in the seventh was Cincinnati’s only other hit Seaver surrendered. He struck out five.
The series resumes in Cincinnati as the Reds send Gary Nolan (18-10) to the mound in game two, while the Mets have Jerry Koosman (17-9) set to make the start.
AL Championship Series
The second contest of the American League Championship Series will feature Oakland’s Vida Blue (22-11) squaring off with Boston’s Rick Wise (19-12) at Fenway Park as the Red Sox look to build a 2-0 advantage.
1975 Reds Replay Post-Season Schedule
American League Championship Series
Game 1 – Boston 5, Oakland 1, (Red Sox lead series 1-0)
Game 2 – Oakland (Vida Blue 22-11) at Boston (Rick Wise 19-12)
Game 3 – Boston (Bill Lee 17-9) at Oakland (Dick Bosman 11-4)
Game 4 – Boston at Oakland, if necessary
Game 5 – Boston at Oakland, if necessary
National League Championship Series
Game 1 – Cincinnati 2, New York 1, (Reds lead series 1-0)
Game 2 – New York (Jerry Koosman 17-9) at Cincinnati (Gary Nolan 18-10)
Game 3 – Cincinnati (Fred Norman 16-11) at New York (Gary Gentry 13-12)
Game 4 – Cincinnati at New York, if necessary
Game 5 – Cincinnati at New York, if necessary
World Series
Game 1 – NL at AL
Game 2 – NL at AL
Game 3 – AL at NL
Game 4 – AL at NL
Game 5 – AL at NL, if necessary
Game 6 – NL at AL, if necessary
Game 7 – NL at AL, if necessary