Lumber Company takes 2 of 3 from Big Red Machine

Nothing says 70s baseball better than a Reds-Pirates series.  The first place Reds (NL West) take on the Pirates, battling it out in a three-team race in the East.

Sept 8 – Mario Soto vs. Vern Law

Pittsburgh scored single runs in the 1st, 4th, and 5th to take a 3-0 lead.  In the 6th, they scored four times with two outs to go up 7-0.  Bobby Bonilla’s 2-run double and Dave Parker’s 2-run HR were the key hits.  The Reds got a run in the 8th, and in the 9th all Al McBean needed with 3 outs.  Frank Robinson led off with a HR, 7-2.  A single and a fly out brought Vada Pinson to the plate...and he blasted a 2-run HR, 7-4.  Next Dave Concepcion singled off Kent Tekulve.  Johnny Edwards singled and Pete Rose doubled home two more to make it a 7-6 game!  A ground out moved Rose to 3rd with two outs.  Bob Veale replaced Tekulve to face PH Tony Perez.  Perez walked, bringing Robinson to the plate.  Robby hit a fly ball to left, and the park held it to end the game at 7-6.

Cin  6 12  1

Pit   7 13  1

W – Law (4-0), L – Soto (2-2), S – Veale (1).  HR – Bailey (2), Robinson (12), Piinson (4); Van Slyke 2 (4, 5), Parker (9)

Sept 9 – Doug Drabek vs. Tom Seaver

The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the 1st on Barry Bonds’ 2-run HR.  Bottom of the 4th, the Reds solved Drabek.  Johnny Bench’s 2-run HR tied the game at 2-2, then a walk, steal, and Pete Rose’s single made it 3-2 Reds.  Another two runs in the 5th put Cincinnati up 5-2.  Andy Van Slyke’s RBI single in the 6th  was negated by Gus Bell’s PH HR to lead off the 6th to make it 6-3 Reds.   On to the 8th when the Pirates lit up Don Gullett.  A 7-run inning, keyed by Dave Parker’s 2-run double and Willie Stargell’s 3-run HR put the game away, 10-6 Pittsburgh.  The Bucs scored two more in the 9th to close out a 12-6 win.

Pit 12 16 0

Cin  6 14 1

W – Blass (1-1), L – Gullett (0-4).   HR – Bonds (5), Stargell (11); Bench (12), Bell (2)

Sept 10 – Dock Ellis vs. Jim Maloney

The Reds’ Jim Maloney was unhittable for 7 innings and 5-run 7th sealed a 9-4 win for the Redlegs.  Both teams scored two runs in the first, and then in the 2nd, Dock Ellis suffered a lapse in control.  A 1-out double, and error, and a walk loaded the bases.  Ken Griffey singled in a run, and a walk to Joe Morgan forced in another to make it 4-2.  It stayed 4-2 until the 7th when the Reds broke out for 5 runs and a 9-2 lead.  Frank Robinson’s 2-run double was the big hit of the inning.  Maloney gave up solo HR in both the 8th and 9th, but went the distance for a 9-4 win. 

Pit  4  4  1

Cin 9 10 2

W – Maloney (5-0), L – Ellis (3-1).  HR – Parker (10), Stargell (12); Rose (1)

--submitted by Jesse Elicker--