Editor’s note: The Reds Decade Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation that starts over with each best-of-three game series. If a real life starter is not in the rotation, he can be used in relief. Cincinnati squads that did not made the post-season are featured in this event as one team from each decade from the 1910s to the 1980s were selected.
A late rally by the 1977 Cincinnati Reds ended with a walk-off 6-5 victory over the 1934 Cincinnati Reds.
Ken Griffey‘s run-scoring single started the celebration as the 1977 Reds take the best of three series 2-0 advancing to play the 1911 squad in the second round of the Reds Decade Tournament.
Down by two runs with 1934 starter Benny Frey on the mound, Dan Driessen led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and later swiped second.
After Frey fanned Dave Concepcion, Cesar Geronimo singled to score Driessen closing the gap to a run.
Bob Bailey singled to keep the inning alive after being selected by manager Sparky Anderson to pinch-hit for reliever Pedro Borbon.
Pete Rose followed with a double to tie the affair at 5-5 thus setting the stage for Griffey’s game-winner.
Borbon (1-0) picked up the win for the 1977 squad as he tossed scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth.
Fred Norman started for 1977 and left with one out in the fifth after allowing all five runs to the 1934 team on nine hits with a strikeout. Manny Sarmiento finished the fifth and didn’t give up a hit over the next two innings.
Frey (0-1) was tagged with the loss surrendering a dozen hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Both teams scored in the second inning as the 1977 squad came away with a 2-1 advantage.
Jim Bottomley scored on a double play for 1934, while George Foster homered and Concepcion added a RBI double.
Foster’s run-scoring single in the third added to the 1977 squad’s lead.
The 1934 team scored four times in the top of the fourth to build a 5-3 margin.
Harlin Pool got the scoring underway with a RBI single before Adam Comorosky hammed a three-run homer.
After that long ball, the score remained the same until the bottom of the ninth.
Second Round Schedule
(Best two out of three)
1911 Reds vs. 1977 Reds
First Round Schedule and Results
(Best two out of three)
1911 Reds vs. 1955 Reds (5-4, 6-4, 1911 Wins 2-0)
1934 Reds vs. 1977 Reds (3-7, 5-6, 1977 Wins 2-0)
1948 Reds vs. 1986 Reds (5-1, 1948 Leads 1-0)
1924 Reds vs. 1964 Reds (3-2 (10), 1924 Leads 1-0)