The Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Reds squared off in the 1970 Series.
Both teams had defeated powerful opponents in the League Championship
Series, and both featured powerful offenses (Cincinnati was first in the majors
in OPS, Baltimore fifth), strong pitching (Baltimore first in ERA, Cincinnati
eight.
Game 1 (Gary Nolan vs Jim Palmer)
Cincinnati jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 2nd as Bench, Helms, and Concepcion
strung together hits off Palmer. Cincinnati would make the lead 5-0 in the top
of the 7th, as Tolan singled, stole second, and scored on a Bench single. Lee
May then hit a 2-run homer to clear the bases.
Baltimore threatened in the bottom of the 7th, as two singles and a walk to
lead off the inning chased Nolan. Wayne Granger was summoned from the
Reds pen to face Davey Johnson with the bases loaded and no outs. Johnson
would drive in a run with a sac fly, but Mark Belanger grounded into a double
play to end the threat.
Baltimore would get one more run in the bottom of the 8th, but never seriously
challenged again.
WP: Nolan LP: Palmer S: Granger
HR: May
Game 2 (Tony Cloninger vs Dave McNally)
Neither team scored in the first 3 innings, but the Reds broke out for 6 runs in
the top of the 4th. Tony Perez led off the inning with a home run. After Bench
struck out, Lee May doubled, Hal McRae singled, and Tommy Helms popped
out, Dave Concepcion came to the plate with two on and two out. The Reds
offense then exploded, as Concepcion doubled, pitcher Cloninger singled,
Rose singled, Tolan singled, and Perez capped off the sequence with another
single. The inning ended with the Reds on top 6-0. The Reds held on to win 7-3.
WP: Cloninger LP: McNally S: Gullett
HR: Perez
Game 3 (Tony Cloninger vs Dave McNally)
The Reds once again jumped on Orioles’ pitching early, as Rose and Perez
scored on a Bench double in the bottom of the 1st. Cincinnati added 4 more
in the bottom of the 3rd as Bench hit a 3-run homer followed by a Lee May
solo shot. Cincinnati scratched out another run in the 4th, and added 3 more
in the 8th as Tolan singled Woodward home and Perez followed with a 2-run
homer. Davey Johnson hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 9th, but the Orioles
never really threatened in this one.
WP: McGlothlin LP: Cuellar
HR: Perez, Bench, May, D. Johnson
Game 4 (Gary Nolan vs Jim Palmer)
The Reds again jumped out to an early lead, as Perez, May, and Carbo singles
sandwiched a Bench walk to generate 2 runs. The Reds added another run in the
3rd as Perez once again homered.
The Orioles would now bow out quietly in this one, however. In the top of the 6th,
Don Buford singled, Boog Powell doubled, and Frank Robinson doubled them both
home to make the score Reds 3 Orioles 2. The Orioles added another 2 runs in the
top of the 7th to take the lead against Reds reliever Don Gullett. The Reds tied the
game in the bottom of the 7th, as pinch hitter Pat Corrales singled home May with
the tying run.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th. Against Orioles reliever Eddie
Watt, Perez doubled to lead of the inning. Bench was intentionally walked. Lee May
struck out, followed by a walk to Jimmy Stewart. With the bases loaded, Reds
manager Schneider was forced to send up pitcher Jim McGlothlin as a pinch hitter
due to an empty bench. McGlothlin predictably struck out, bringing Woody Woodward
to the plate with two outs. Woodward forced a walk to complete the Reds sweep.
WP: Wilcox LP: Watt
HR: Perez
Series MVP was Tony Perez, who hit 3 home runs in 4 games to go along with a .450
average and 6 RBIs.
