October 2, 1971 (Game 1)
ST. LOUIS – Bob Gibson (1-0), one of the greatest big-game pitchers of all time went to the bump for the Redbirds and did not disappoint. He fired a complete-game, 6-hit shut- out as St. Louis took the opener 2-0. Luis Melendez gunned down Bernie Carbo at the plate in the 1st when the Reds tallied 3 singles. They didn’t threaten seriously the rest of the game. Gibson fanned 8, walked 2 and didn’t allow an extra base hit. Gibby even helped himself offensively with an RBI single in the 6th. Melendez knocked in the Cards other run with a hit in the 2nd. Don Gullet (0-1) started and lost for Cincy.
October 3, 1971 (Game 2)
ST. LOUIS– Jose Cruz (1) smacked a game-winning home run down the RF line in the 8th lifting the Redbirds to a 5-4 win and a 2-0 series lead heading to the Queen City. This made a winner of Don Shaw (1-0) and a loser of Clay Carroll (0-1). Starters Gary Nolan and Steve Carlton were around for the finish. Joe Torre singled in Lou Brock in the 1st for an early St. Loo lead. Reds took the lead in the 4th, plating 3 runs. Hal McRae tripled in Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, then scored on a Pete Rose ground out. The Cardinals answered with a 3-spot in their half of the 4th when Ted Sizemore andCruz hit back-to-back two-baggers. Carlton smacked his own to score Cruz and he eventually scored on a ground out. Cincy evened the score in the T8 when Perez and Bench went back to back with doubles.
October 5, 1971 (Game 3)
CINCINNATI – Pete Rose (1) blasted a mammoth 3-run homer to highlight a 4-run 5th for the Reds and they never looked back. They feasted on the home-cooking for a 7-2 win to get them back in the series. Dave Concepcion went 3 for 4 to further help the offense. SP Jim McGlothlin, (1-0) who pitched 5 innings for the W, scored a run and knocked in another. Reggie Cleveland (0-1) started and lost for St. Louis.
October 6, 1971 (Game 4)
CINCINNATI – Joe Torre doubled in a pair of runs as the Cardinals plated all 3 of their runs in the 1st inning. It was enough for a 3-1 win and the NLCS title. Jerry Reuss (1-0) yielded just the 1 run in 5 IP. Stan Williams, Moe Drabowsky andFrank Linzy (1) shut out the Reds the rest of the way. Ross Grimsley (0-1) took the L.
The Cardinals advance to play the Oakland Athletics in the World Series.
