Editor’s note: The 1970 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams from 1973-79 when games are played at home. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
Ken Griffey capped a wild finished as the 1975 Cincinnati Reds beat the 1976 Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 in the 1970s Diamond Gems Tournament.
Griffey’s walk-off single against Steve Carlton began with a free pass to Dave Concepcion.
Trailing by a run, Reds manager Sparky Anderson instructed Cesar Geronimo to bunt. However, Geronimo’s bunt back to Carlton became a single as Concepcion raced to second.
Anderson then had Ed Armbrister lay down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third.
With Pete Rose batting from the right side of the plate, Carlton and Philadelphia manager Danny Ozark elected to pitch to him.
Carlton fanned Rose to set the stage for Griffey who slapped a single to left to bring home the winning runs.
Rawly Eastwick (1-0) earned the victory for the Reds with perfect eighth and ninth innings.
Carlton (0-1) surrendered nine hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The Phillies opened the game with a run in the first off Cincinnati starter Don Gullett on a RBI single by Mike Schmidt.
Cincinnati tied the contest in the fourth as Concepcion’s run-scoring single made it 1-1.
In the sixth, Schmidt doubled and scored in a single by Greg Luzinski put the Phillies in front 2-1.
Gullett worked seven innings giving up five hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
1970s Diamond Gems Tournament
Second Round Schedule
1974 Los Angeles Dodgers at 1979 Montreal Expos
First Round Results and Schedule
1979 Montreal Expos 5, 1970 Baltimore Orioles 0
1974 Los Angeles Dodgers 5, 1978 Boston Red Sox 1
1975 Cincinnati Reds 3, 1976 Philadelphia Phillies 2
1978 New York Yankees at 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates
1972 Cincinnati Reds at 1979 Baltimore Orioles
1975 Boston Red Sox at 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers
1977 Kansas City Royals at 1972 Oakland A’s
1979 Pittsburgh Pirates at 1970 Minnesota Twins