Editor’s note: Second Chance Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games. The first and second rounds will be decided with a best of three series, while the championship series will be a best of five format.
An excited at Ebbets Field crowd watched the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers beat the 1970 Cincinnati Reds 8-5 in the first game of an opening round series of the Second Chance Tournament.
Carl Erskine nearly tossed a complete game for the Dodgers, but he needed help in the ninth from Jim Hughes.
Jackie Robinson got the Dodgers going in the third with a two-run homer off Reds starter Don Gullett.
Bernie Carbo homered off Erskine in the top of the fourth for the Reds to cut the deficit in half.
In the bottom of the fourth, Carl Furillo‘s two-run drive gave the Dodgers a 4-1 advantage.
Neither team would score again until the seventh when Dave Concepcion hit a solo homer to make it 4-2.
The Dodgers busted the game open in the eighth when Roy Campanella ended Gullett’s day with a solo homer.
Reds manager Sparky Anderson called Wayne Granger in from the bullpen. Granger retired Gil Hodges on a fly ball before he allowed a single to Furillo and then walked Billy Cox.
Bobby Morgan‘s unlikely three-run homer excited the Brooklyn fans as the Dodgers led 8-2.
Cincinnati attempted a comeback, but the Reds could only muster half of what they needed.
Concepcion had a RBI double before Pete Rose and Lee May followed with run-scoring singles.
Game two of the three-game series will be at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.
Clem Labine gets the start for the Dodgers, while Gary Nolan will go for the Reds.
Second Chance Tournament Results and Schedule
First Round
1954 Cleveland Indians 5, 1935 Chicago Cubs 2
1954 Cleveland Indians at 1935 Chicago Cubs
1935 Chicago Cubs at 1954 Cleveland Indians, if necessary
1946 Boston Red Sox 9, 1962 San Francisco Giants 8 (10 innings)
1946 Boston Red Sox at 1962 San Francisco Giants
1962 San Francisco Giants at 1946 Boston Red Sox, if necessary
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 8, 1970 Cincinnati Reds 5
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers at 1970 Cincinnati Reds
1970 Cincinnati Reds at 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers, if necessary
1965 Minnesota Twins at 1969 Baltimore Orioles
1969 Baltimore Orioles at 1965 Minnesota Twins
1965 Minnesota Twins at 1969 Baltimore Orioles, if necessary