Jints sweep Redlegs gain WC birth !

Their hopes of a postseason berth in the KOD playoffs hanging by a thread, the 1975 San Francisco Giants had a tall order awaiting them in their final season series

against the first place 1958 Cincinnati Reds. And even after completing a three-game sweep against the division champions, the Giants still can only wait to see

if a 22-18 record will be good enough to secure a wild card berth in next week's playoffs. (written prior to PIT/NYM series)

9/27 – 9/29 – Candlestick Park

GAME 1 – Giants 6, Reds 3

The Reds opened with a bang. Frank Robinson's two-run homer in the first and Ed Bailey's solo job an inning later and it's 3-0 before the first polish dog is consumed. Even worse for the offensively-challenged Giants, Reds starter Bob Purkey looks like he's throwing darts on this day. San Franciso's Chris Speier reached Pukey for a solo HR and the Giants scratched and clawed for a run in the fourth to make it 3-2. But it looked as though three runs would easily be enough to handle the meager Giants -- until the eighth. Pinch hitter Glenn Adams awoke San Francisco's slumbering offense with a pinch-hit opposite field home to start the inning. While it wasn't loaded with Bobby Thompson-like charm, Adams shot was at least heard loud and clear by the SF hitters. Von Joshua's double, Gary Matthew's RBI single and Gary Thomasson's base hit chased Purkey. Speier greeted reliever Hal Jeffcoat with a two-run single to complete the improbable comeback rally. The Reds loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before SF reliever Gary Lavelle preserved the win by retiring Smokey Burgess on a grounder to second. That gave Giants starter Pete Falcone (8 IP, 3H, 3R) his fourth win against two losses. After vaulting to an early lead, the Reds managed just one more hit before staging their ninth-inning threat. Purkey (7 2/3IP, 8H, 6ER) saw his record fall to 2-5 for the season.

GAME 2 – Giants 7, Reds 3

Once again, the Reds bolted out of the starting gates, tagging SF pitcher Ed Halicki for three runs and six hits in just two innings. Singles by Jerry Lynch, Frank Robinson and George Crowe plated a first-inning tally for Cincy. Then in the second, Johnny Temple delivered an RBI double and Gus Bell made it 3-0 with a run-producing single. But Halicki held the Reds scoreless the rest of the way before departing with one aboard and two outs
in the eighth. That gave San Francisco's offense the grace period it needed to get back into the game. Reds starter Harvey Haddix blanked SF until the fourth, when the Giants loaded the bases with no outs on a single, double and walk. Garry Matthews then smoked a two-run single to right. The Giants added two more runs on a fielder's choice and Marc Hill's RBI single to take a 4-3 lead.
The Giants finally sent Haddix to the showers with a three-run uprising in the seventh. Singles by Derrell Thomas and Bobby Murcer set the table for Matthews, who ripped an RBI single and Hill capped the rally a two-run single. Halicki finally ran out of gas in the eighth after allowing a one-out double to George Crowe. Gary Lavelle hurled 1 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball to preserve the win despite tight-roping his way through a bases-loaded scare in the ninth. Halicki's 143-pitch effort netted the 6-foot-8 right-hander his second win of the season against three losses despite a respectable 2.36 ERA. Haddix surrendered 12 hits, seven earned runs and four walks in one of his worst outings of the season. The southpaw entered with a 6-2 record and his 2.52 ERA was among the KOD's best.

GAME 3 – Giants 3, Reds 2 (12 innings)

Needing a win "big time" the Giants handed the ball to their prime time pitcher, ace John Montefusco. The Reds countered with left-hander Alex Kellner (1-0, 2.89 ERA), who had made just one previous start this season. The two pitchers battled in a duel for nearly 10 innings. In what became a series trademark, Cincinnati again scored first. Vada Pinson's sacrifice fly ball Jerry Lynch's RBI single staked Kellner to an early 2-0 lead. In the fourth, SF broke through against Kellner. Bruce Miller cracked an RBI single to make it 2-1. An inning later, the Giants tied the game on Von Joshua's leadoff double, a single by Derrell Thomas and Chris Speier's surprise bunt. After each team squandered late-inning threats, San Francisco finally won it in the 12th. Dave Rader's leadoff double, an error and Thomas' sacrifice fly put an end to nearly 3 1/2 hours of bone-chilling baseball that probably
meant more to the Giants than the playoff-destined Reds. Montefusco went nine innings, allowing nine hits and two earned runs. Kellner was just as superb, going 9 1/3 and allowing nine hits and two runs. Jerry Lynch was a major menace to SF hurlers, going 5-for-5 ( all singles) to finish the season with a .346 average.