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 is a series that will include each game played with the Strat-o-Matic cards and dice, while hoping to reach the 108-54 record that the Reds had that season. Game stories will be published periodically on Press Room Pass through out the year. What’s your predicted victory total?
Burt Hooton defeated the Cincinnati Reds for the third time this season as Los Angeles won 5-1 at Dodger Stadium.
Hooton gave up seven hits with five strikeouts allowing a RBI single to Tony Perez in the fourth.
In three contests against the Reds, Hooton has allowed three runs on 19 hits with 15 strikeouts in 26 innings.
A sacrifice fly by Bill Russell gave the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead in the second inning against Reds starter Fred Norman.
Perez tied it in the fourth, but a solo homer by Dusty Baker put the Dodgers on top to stay at 2-1.
The Dodgers were able to add three runs the rest of the way to put the game out of reach.
RBI doubles by Pedro Guerrero in the fifth and Steve Garvey in the seventh made it 4-1.
Ken Landreaux‘s sacrifice fly in the eighth gave the Dodgers their final tally.
Norman (10-9) tossed six innings for the Reds as he gave up three runs on six hits. Pedro Borbon and Clay Kirby finished on the mound for the Reds.
The Reds move on to New York for a three-game series against the Giants.
Jack Billingham (11-3) gets the call in the opener, while Sal Maglie will start for the Giants.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1971 Pirates (3-2)
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (3-4)
1975 Expos (2-7)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1975 Reds (71-39)
1954 Giants (5-3)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)