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?
The Cincinnati Reds appear to be in trouble as the team chases the National League West title.
In second place behind the New York Giants (.611), the Reds suffered a second straight loss as the fell 8-4 to the Milwaukee Braves in the opener of a four-game series. Cincinnati now has a .601 winning percentage with nine games remaining.
After Cincinnati grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Reds starter Pat Darcy (10-7) surrendered five runs in the bottom of the frame.
Johnny Bench put the Reds on top with a RBI single before the Braves battled back.
Hank Aaron knocked in the first run with a sacrifice fly. The big blow for the Braves was a three-run blast by Wes Covington. Red Schoendienst made it 5-2 with a run-scoring single.
In the third, Del Crandall hit his first of two solo homers to give the Braves a 6-2 advantage.
Both teams added a run in the fifth on homers. Bench hit one and then Crandall added his second blast of the contest.
The Braves added an unearned tally in the sixth before Terry Crowley‘s RBI double in the eighth for the Reds ended the scoring.
Bob Trowbridge went the distance for the Braves as he allowed seven hits with four strikeouts.
Game two of the series at Milwaukee’s County Stadium will feature Don Gullett (19-7) going for his 20th win of the season for the Reds as he faces Milwaukee’s Warren Spahn.
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
1954 Giants (11-7)
1975 Reds (92-61)
1957 Braves (5-7)
2017 Astros (6-9)
1981 Dodgers (7-11)
1975 Padres (4-14)