Reds topple Cubs in 5 games

It took 5 games, all of them tense affairs, to wrap up the NLCS. Chicago jumped out to a 2-0

lead, but the desperate Reds crawled back to force Game 5 and escaped with the win.

Game 1

Gary Nolan and Fergie Jenkins dueled through 8, with the Cubs tying the game 2-2 on a clutch Billy Williams hit with two outs in the bottom of the 8th. The Cubs’ Paul Popovich (he of one HR in 129 AB in real life) hit a walk off three run homer to give the Cubs the win. Reds SS Darrel Chaney went 1 for 3 with a walk; nothing special but he was just getting warmed up.

Game 2

Cubs jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two and that was it for the scoring until the Reds scratched out a run in the top of the 9th. Milt Pappas went the distance for the Cubs with a 4-hitter. Chaney went 0 for 3.

Game 3

Cubs leds 2-0 headed into bottom of the 5th before Reds got on the board. Pinch hitting for 3b Dennis Menke, Chaney hit a 2-run homer off Bill Hands to tie the game. In bottom of the 6th, Geronimo hit a homer to give the Reds the lead, then Chaney singled home Morgan and Perez to add some insurance runs. Reds relievers Clay Carroll and Pedro Borbon held off the Cubs to keep the Reds in the series.

Game 4

Reds scored 4 in bottom of second off Cubs starter Burt Hooton, as Chaney, again starting as a pinch hitter, went 3 for 4 with an RBI. Trailing 6-0, Cubs charged back in eight inning as Tony Perez made errors that led to runs on back to back plays. Cubs got another run in ninth, but Clay Carroll struck out Jose Cardinal with the tying run on third to force Game 5.

Game 5

There were no off days scheduled in this series, so Reds Game 1 starter Gary Nolan was still not rested for Game 5. Occasional starter Tom Hall got the ball for the Reds opposed by Cubs’ Fergie Jenkins. Offense was not lacking in this game. Reds got on the board first as Chaney singled and was doubled home by Menke. Cubs took the lead in the top off the 4th, as Jose Cardenal and Ron Santo hit back-to-back homers. Reds tied the game up in the bottom of the 4th as Chaney hit his second homer of the series, then Rose and Perez drove in runs to put the Reds ahead 5-4. Reds added 3 more in bottom of the 5th and 1 more in the 6th, os they led 9-4 after 6. However, Cubs were not done. Using 4 walks and 2 singles, Cubs scored 3 in top of the 7th to get within 2, 9-7. Reds held on to win a very tense series. Mr Chaney went 2 for 4 with a homer to again pace the Reds.

Series MVP was Darrel Chaney, as he went 8 for 16 with 2 homers and 7 RBI.

Congrats to Joe on a fine season.

Bill