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 number is now three.
For the first time this season, Cincinnati has dropped three straight contests after an 8-3 loss to St. Louis in the opener of a two-game series at Riverfront Stadium.
The difference came in the top of the seventh when the Cardinals broke open a 3-3 game with five runs off Pedro Borbon.
Borbon took the mound after Reds starter Pat Darcy gave up three runs on five hits through six innings.
Dal Maxvill and pinch-hitter Bobby Tolan singled to begin the frame before Borbon retired Lou Brock and Curt Flood on fly balls.
From that point, Borbon faced five more hitters and couldn’t get an out.
Orlando Cepeda, who had a three-hit game and drove in five runs, blasted a double that scored Maxvill and Tolan.
Mike Shannon followed with a two-run single and Julian Javier brought home the final tally with a single.
With the damage done, Reds manager Sparky Anderson brought in Clay Carroll to stop the rally after he rushed through his warm-up session in the bullpen.
Larry Jaster picked up the win for the Cardinals as he went six innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. Ron Willis tossed two scoreless innings, while Joe Hoerner worked the ninth.
Cepeda got the scoring started in the top of the first with a two-run homer. Tony Perez had a solo shot for the Reds in the bottom of the first.
A RBI double by Cepeda gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in the third.
The Reds tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth on run-scoring singles by Doug Flynn and Bill Plummer as the stage was set for the winning rally by the Cardinals.
The series and the eight-game homestand wraps up with each teams sending their aces to the mound.
Cincinnati will have Don Gullett (7-3) on the mound as he looks for his second win against St. Louis, while the Cardinals counter with Bob Gibson.
National League Standings
(Records involve games only with Reds)
East Division
1969 Mets (4-1)
1971 Pirates (3-2)
2016 Cubs (2-2)
1975 Expos (2-4)
1967 Cardinals (1-3)
2008 Phillies (1-6)
West Division
1975 Reds (38-22)
1954 Giants (2-2)
1957 Braves (2-3)
1981 Dodgers (2-5)
2017 Astros (2-5)
1975 Padres (1-5)