This was an off-season project, and we’re running out of off-season, so here goes….
Welcome to Game Four of the Redleg Nation Dream Series.
Tonight, the 1990 “Wire to Wire” Reds will attempt to survive on the brink of elimination once again, with the 1975 Reds leading the series three games to one. A couple of left-handers will make their second starts of the series in this one, Don Gullett for the Big Red Machine and Danny Jackson for the 1990 Reds.
Sweet Lou Piniella’s 1990 squad hopes that Jackson can match Jose Rijo’s brilliant Game Four performance. At the very least, Jackson needs to keep the game competitive through six innings, when the Nasty Boys bullpen can take over. Because the Machine has scored early in most games, the Nasty Boys haven’t had much of an impact on the series thus far.
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Game One: 1975 Reds won, 9-2
Game Two: 1975 Reds won, 4-2
Game Three: 1975 Reds won, 7-4
Game Four: 1990 Reds won, 8-1
Game Five: Tonight!
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Tonight’s game is to be played out at Redleg Nation World Headquarters, i.e., my living room, using the Strat-O-Matic board game.
The 1990 Reds will host game five at 1990 Riverfront Stadium. Starting lineups are below (the actual starting lineup used by the 1975 Reds in their own game five that year; the 1990 Reds didn’t play a game five, so Virtual Lou Piniella made out the lineup). I will post the play by play below, as I get time to play the game out tonight (I’m watching the Virginia/Virginia Tech basketball game, so my attention is largely occupied by the television right now).
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Play by Play
Top of the first inning
Danny Jackson (1990) pitching.
–Pete Rose grounds out to shortstop. One out.
–Ken Griffey walks.
–Joe Morgan lines out to second. Two outs.
–Johnny Bench flies out to left field. Three outs.
Bottom of the first inning
Don Gullett (1975) pitching.
–Barry Larkin pops out to shortstop. One out.
–Billy Hatcher singles to center field.
–Eric Davis walks.
–Glenn Braggs grounds out weakly to 2B. Hatcher advances to third; Davis advances to second. Two outs.
–Chris Sabo grounds out to SS. Three outs.
End of first inning. 1975 Reds 0, 1990 Reds 0
Top of the second inning
–Tony Perez strikes out. One out.
–George Foster pops out to second base. Two outs.
–Dave Concepcion strikes out. Three outs.
Bottom of the second inning
–Billy Doran grounds out to the pitcher. One out.
–Todd Benzinger grounds out to third base. Two outs.
–Joe Oliver walks.
–Danny Jackson grounds out to second base. Three outs.
End of two innings. 1975 Reds 0, 1990 Reds 0
Top of third inning
–Cesar Geronimo flies out to CF. One out.
–Don Gullett strikes out. Two outs.
–Pete Rose grounds out to second base. Three outs.
Bottom of third inning
–Barry Larkin flies out to LF. One out.
–Billy Hatcher singles to left.
–Eric Davis flies out to CF. Two outs.
–Glenn Braggs grounds out to SS. Three outs.
End of three innings. 1975 Reds 0, 1990 Reds 0
Top of fourth inning
–Ken Griffey grounds out to 3B. One out.
–Joe Morgan grounds out to 3B. Two outs.
–Johnny Bench, chewing on some fudge-flavored gum, singles to center field. First hit of the day for the Big Red Machine.
–Tony Perez singles to right field. Bench advances to second.
–George Foster flies out to LF. Three outs.
Bottom of fourth inning
–Chris Sabo walks.
–Billy Doran grounds out to SS. Sabo advances to second base. One out.
–Todd Benzinger flies out to LF. Two outs.
–Joe Oliver grounds out to second base. Three outs.
End of fourth inning. 1975 Reds 0, 1990 Reds 0
Top of the fifth inning
–Dave Concepcion walks.
–Cesar Geronimo singles to RF. Concepcion advances to third.
–Don Gullett strikes out. One out.
–Pete Rose is an Aqua Velva Man. And he lifts a sacrifice fly to CF. Concepcion scores. (Rose, RBI) Two outs.
1975 Reds lead, 1-0
–Ken Griffey singles to LF. Geronimo advances to 3B.
–Joe Morgan walks. Bases loaded.
–Johnny Bench grounds out to 1B. Three outs.
Bottom of the fifth inning
–Danny Jackson lines out to second. One out.
–Barry Larkin flies out to RF. Two outs.
–Billy Hatcher flies out to RF. Three outs.
End of fifth inning. 1975 Reds 1, 1990 Reds 0
Top of the sixth inning
–Tony Perez flies out to LF. One out.
–George Foster singles.
–Dave Concepcion singles to CF. Foster advances to second.
–Cesar Geronimo flies out to RF. Runners hold. Two outs.
–Don Gullett flies out to RF. Three outs.
Bottom of the sixth inning
–Eric Davis strikes out. One out.
–Glenn Braggs lines out to 3B. Two outs.
–Chris Sabo singles to LF.
–Billy Doran walks. Sabo advances to 2B.
–Todd Benzinger grounds out to 2B. Three outs.
End of sixth inning. 1975 Reds 1, 1990 Reds 0
Top of the seventh inning
–Pete Rose grounds out to 3B. One out.
–Ken Griffey walks.
–Joe Morgan walks. Griffey advances to 2B.
Norm Charlton enters game as pitcher, replacing Jackson
–Johnny Bench reaches first on a fielder’s choice. Morgan out at second, 4-6. Griffey advances to third. Two outs.
–Tony Perez singles to RF. Griffey scores (Perez, RBI). Bench advances to 3B.
1975 Reds lead, 2-0
–George Foster grounds out to P. Three outs.
Bottom of the seventh inning
–Joe Oliver strikes out. One out.
Luis Quinones pinch-hits for Norm Charlton
–Luis Quinones singles to CF.
–Barry Larkin strikes out. Two outs.
–Billy Hatcher walks. Quinones advances to 2B.
–Eric Davis walks. Bases loaded.
–Glenn Braggs walks. Quinones scores (Braggs, RBI). Hatcher advances to third. Davis advances to second.
1975 Reds lead, 2-1
Clay Carroll now pitching, replacing Don Gullett
–Chris Sabo doubles to the left field corner. Hatcher scores. Davis scores (Sabo, 2 RBI). Braggs advances to third.
1990 Reds lead, 3-2
–Billy Doran strikes out. Three outs.
End of seven innings. 1975 Reds 2, 1990 Reds 3
Top of the eighth inning
Rob Dibble now pitching for 1990 Reds, batting ninth
–Dave Concepcion strikes out. One out.
–Cesar Geronimo strikes out. Two outs.
Dan Driessen pinch-hits for Clay Carroll
–Dan Driessen grounds out to 2B. Three outs.
Bottom of the eighth inning
Clay Kirby now pitching for 1975 Reds, batting ninth
–Todd Benzinger strikes out. One out.
–Joe Oliver triples (!).
Paul O’Neill pinch-hits for Rob Dibble
–Paul O’Neill pops out to SS. Two outs.
–Barry Larkin flies out to CF. Three outs.
End of eight innings. 1975 Reds 2, 1990 Reds 3
Top of the ninth inning
Randy Myers now pitching for 1990 Reds
–Pete Rose hit by pitch.
–Ken Griffey strikes out. One out.
–Joe Morgan doubles to RF. Rose advances to third.
–Johnny Bench lifts a sacrifice fly to CF. Rose scores (Bench, RBI). Morgan holds at second. Two outs.
1975 Reds 3, 1990 Reds 3
–Tony Perez grounds out to shortstop. Three outs.
Bottom of the ninth inning
–Billy Hatcher strikes out. One out.
–Eric Davis walks.
–Glenn Braggs grounds out to SS. Two outs.
–Chris Sabo grounds out to SS. Three outs.
End of nine innings. 1975 Reds 3, 1990 Reds 3
On to extra innings….
Top of the tenth inning
–George Foster pops out to SS. One out.
–Dave Concepcion pops out to catcher. Two outs.
–Cesar Geronimo walks.
Doug Flynn pinch-hits for Clay Kirby
–Doug Flynn strikes out. Three outs.
Bottom of the tenth inning.
Rawley Eastwick now pitching for 1975 Reds, batting ninth
–Billy Doran grounds out to the pitcher. One out.
–Todd Benzinger fouls out to catcher. Two outs.
–Joe Oliver strikes out. Three outs.
End of ten innings. 1975 Reds 3, 1990 Reds 3
Top of eleventh inning.
Double switch. Jeff Reed replaces Randy Myers, batting ninth and playing catcher. Jack Armstrong now pitching, batting eighth.
–Pete Rose singles to left field.
–Ken Griffey flies out to left field. One out.
–Joe Morgan homers to right field. Rose scores, Morgan scores (Morgan, 2 RBI)
1975 Reds lead, 5-3
–Johnny Bench lines out to SS. Two outs.
–Tony Perez strikes out. Three outs.
Bottom of eleventh inning
–Jeff Reed flies out to right field. One out.
–Barry Larkin singles to CF.
–Billy Hatcher reaches first on a fielder’s choice. Larkin out at second, 6-4. Two outs.
–Eric Davis flies out to center field. Three outs.
Final (11 innings)
1975 Reds 5
1990 Reds 3
WP: Rawley Eastwick (1-0)
LP: Jack Armstrong (0-1)
1975 “Big Red Machine” Reds win RN Dream Series, four games to one.