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?
Gary Nolan appears to be getting back to normal for Cincinnati.
After falling in his last three starts possibly due to arm issues, Nolan left the mound with one out in the eighth as the Reds were on their way to a 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a four-game series at Riverfront Stadium.
Nolan (12-8) gave up two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and a walk in the victory. Will McEnaney got the last two outs in the eighth, while Rawly Eastwick picked up his 18th save with a scoreless ninth.
Cincinnati grabbed an early 2-0 advantage off Pittsburgh starter Dock Ellis, who work go on to work seven innings giving up five runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts.
Tony Perez had a sacrifice fly in the second and Nolan scored on a error in the third after he banged out the first of his three singles in the contest.
A RBI double by Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell closed the gap to 2-1 in the top of the fourth.
However, the Reds scored three times to take control in the fifth on George Foster‘s two-run triple and a RBI ground out by Perez.
In the eighth, Nolan retired pinch-hitter Bill Mazeroski before Dave Cash singled. Richie Hebner‘s two-run homer ended the day for Nolan.
Game two of the series will feature Fred Norman (10-9) taking the mound for the Reds, while Bob Johnson gets the ball from Pittsburgh manager Danny Murtaugh.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (5-4)
1971 Pirates (3-3)
1975 Expos (4-8)
1967 Cardinals (1-4)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1954 Giants (7-4)
1975 Reds (73-46)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-9)
1975 Padres (3-11)