‘37 Redlegs take 3 of 4 from ‘85 Braves

8/16-8/17 – Crosley Field
GAME 1 – Reds 4, Braves 2
Simple equation for the Braves…when Horner and Murphy aren’t hitting the team has no chance to win.  Murph did hit a 2 run shot in the first with 2 out to put Atlanta up 2-0, but he and his buddy did nothing the rest of the way.  Cincy answered back in the bottom of the second and tied it at 2 thanks to a Kiki Cuyler 2 run triple.  A solo run on a wild pitch by Rick Mahler gave the Reds the lead and a squeeze play by Myers scored Ival Goodman to make it 4-2, which is how it ended up.

GAME 2– Reds 7, Braves 3
Paul Derringer went the distance and followed the formula for beating the Braves just like his teammates did the previous day.  Horner and Murphy were a combined 1 for 6.  Terry Harper hit a 2 run shot, but he’s only hitting .118 on the season.  Goodman hit his 2nd of the season and Cuyler tripled for the 2nd  consecutive game.  Alex Kampouris (3-4) is hitting a red hot .391.  8th place hitter Lew Riggs was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI as the Redlegs victimize Atlanta’s pen, specifically Terry “Big Tub of Goo” Forster for 4 runs.

8/18-8/19 – Fulton County Stadium
GAME 3 – Braves 5, Reds 4
The Braves were able to hold on to this game despite a shaky 9th inning performance by a declining Bruce Sutter.  Zane Smith left the game with 1 out in the 7th up 4-1.  Gene Garber and Sutter both made it a very close game by being marginally effective at best.  “Obi-Wan”, Ken Oberkfell was the hitting star going 3 for 3 with 3 RBI.  Murphy and Horner were a combined 2 for 6 and hopefully are coming to life.

GAME 4 – Reds 6, Braves 4
A three run 6th inning turned a 2-1 Brave edge into a 4-2 Red lead.  Buck Jordan stroked a 2 run single off Brave reliever Rick “Summer” Camp, who gave up  4 runs in relief of  Joe Johnson who didn’t have enough gas or talent to go more than 5.  Jordan doubled home a run in the 8th and Goodman single another home to provide reliever Johnny Vander Meer with 2 much needed insurance runs, because the Braves answered right back in the bottom of the inning with 2 of their own when Horner came through with a 2 run double.  “Horns” and Murph combined to go 3-6, but could not overcome Camp’s horrible relief outing.