On June 6, 1976, Reds’ backup catcher Bill Plummer had his career day. Going 3-5 with a homer and the only triple of his career, Plummer drove in seven runs in leading the Reds to a 13-2 win over the Cardinals.
Plummer singled in the second to score Bob Bailey, giving the Reds a 1-0 win. He followed that up with a third inning bases loaded triple to right field, scoring Tony Perez, George Foster, and Bailey to increase the Reds’ lead to 6-0. Plummer then blasted a three-run sixth inning home run, scoring Joe Morgan and Ken Griffey, giving the Reds a 9-1 lead.
1976 was Plummer’s best major league season. A .188 career hitter with 14 career home runs in 367 major league games, Plummer batted .249 wiht 4 homers and 19 rbi in 1976. He had three career three-hit games and all came in 1976. One of those three-hit games came just a week after this one on June 13, again against the Cardinals, and included another home run in a 12-9 Reds’ loss.
Pitching for the Reds on this June 6 was rookie sensation Pat Zachry. Zachry went seven innings, allowing four hits, walking three, and allowing one run before exiting the game. As of June 6, he was 5-1 with a 1.33 ERA, on his way to a 14-7 season with a 2.74 ERA. Zachry won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1976. The 1976 season was easily the best of Zachry’s 10 year career.