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?
Cincinnati had its four-game winning streak snapped as New York Giants blanked the Reds 1-0 in 10 innings at Riverfront Stadium.
It was the the sixth time the Reds have been shutout this season and the second affair that they were stopped by the Giants. Jim Hearn beat the Reds 8-0 earlier this season.
Giants starter Sal Maglie allowed just four hits, while reliever Hoyt Wilhelm picked up the victory with two scoreless frames to finish off the Reds.
Reds starter Jack Billingham (12-7) gave up a pair of singles to begin the 10th inning after holding the Giants hitless through nine.
Al Dark singled to break up Billingham’s no-hitter before Willie Mays followed with another single that moved Dark to third.
After calling Rawly Eastwick from the bullpen, Reds manager Sparky Anderson moved the infield in to prevent Dark from scoring.
Monte Irvin blasted a grounder to Joe Morgan at second. Morgan couldn’t handle the smash well enough to get Dark at the plate, so he settled to get Irvin at first.
The run was all the Giants would get as Eastwick would retire the next two hitters, but the score proved to be enough.
In the bottom of the 10th, Wilhelm fanned Tony Perez and Dave Concepcion with knuckle balls before ending the contest by getting Cesar Geronimo on a groundout to Billy Gardner at third.
Pat Darcy (10-5) will start the finale of the three-game series for the Reds as the Giants send Don Liddle to the mound.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (7-5)
2016 Cubs (6-6)
1971 Pirates (5-7)
1967 Cardinals (4-8)
1975 Expos (4-8)
2008 Phillies (2-10)
West Division
1975 Reds (87-54)
1954 Giants (8-5)
2017 Astros (5-8)
1957 Braves (4-7)
1981 Dodgers (5-11)
1975 Padres (4-12)