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.
The Big Red Machine was firing on all cylinders as the 1970 Cincinnati Reds defeated the 1965 Minnestota Twins 7-3 in the Second Chance Tournament.
With the semifinal win at Metropolitan Stadium, the Reds advance to the best of five championship series to face the 1946 Boston Red Sox.
Cincinnati scored a run in each of the first four innings against Twins starter Jim Kaat.
In the top of the first, Tony Perez had a RBI single to make it 1-0.
Solo homers by Bernie Carbo in the second inning and Johnny Bench in third gave the Reds a 3-1 advantage.
Pete Rose added Cincinnati’s fourth run with a RBI single in the fourth.
Minnesota’s first tally came as Bob Allison led off the bottom of the second with a homer off Reds starter Gary Nolan.
Kaat’s day ended after the sixth frame when Rose added his second run-scoring single of the contest.
The Twins cut their deficit to 5-3 in the eighth inning as Nolan surrendered a two-run double to Jimmie Hall. Reds reliever Clay Carroll got the final out of the eighth and worked a perfect ninth to earn a save.
Reds centerfielder Bobby Tolan blasted a two-run homer off Jim Merritt in the ninth for the final tally of the affair.
In the opener of the final series at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds are scheduled to start Don Gullett, while the Red Sox are expected to have Dave Ferriss take the mound.
Second Chance Tournament Results and Schedule
Championship Series
1946 Boston Red Sox at 1970 Cincinnati Reds
1946 Boston Red Sox at 1970 Cincinnati Reds
1970 Cincinnati Reds at 1946 Boston Red Sox
1970 Cincinnati Reds at 1946 Boston Red Sox, if necessary
1970 Cincinnati Reds at 1946 Boston Red Sox, if necessary
Semifinals
1946 Boston Red Sox 6, 1954 Cleveland Indians 4
1946 Boston Red Sox 3, 1954 Cleveland Indians 2
Red Sox win series 2-0
1970 Cincinnati Reds 2, 1965 Minnesota Twins 0
1970 Cincinnati Reds 7, 1965 Minnesota Twins 3
Reds win series 2-0
First Round
1954 Cleveland Indians 5, 1935 Chicago Cubs 2
1954 Cleveland Indians 3, 1935 Chicago Cubs 0
Indians win series 2-0
1946 Boston Red Sox 9, 1962 San Francisco Giants 8 (10 innings)
1946 Boston Red Sox 9, 1962 San Francisco Giants 6
Red Sox win series 2-0
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 8, 1970 Cincinnati Reds 5
1970 Cincinnati Reds 4, 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 3
1970 Cincinnati Reds 7, 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 2
Reds win series 2-1
1965 Minnesota Twins 2, 1969 Baltimore Orioles 1
1965 Minnesota Twins 13, 1969 Baltimore Orioles 7
Twins win series 2-0