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The AI makes some bizarre choices in this mode. This time it decided Pete Rose Sr (.406 OBP in 1975) was not worthy of a starting spot. As the Aflac duck would say: "Huh?" Instead Dan Driessen started at 3B in all seven games with Tony Perez at 1B. Once again "Huh?".
Despite this oddity, the Reds were able to push the series to 7 games. The 1975 Reds outscored the 1937 Yankees 40-37 in this slugfest of a series, but were unable to prevail. In the end, Bill Dickey was just too much for the Reds, as he hit .481/.533/.778 with 1 HR and 10 RBI and captured MVP honours.
The teams basically traded blows with scores of 9-0, 9-0, 5-2, and 8-1 to open the series tied at 2. Then came the pivotal Game 5. An error by Concepcion, an RBI single by Bill Dickey and a 2-run single by Joe DiMaggio put the Yankees up 4-0 after 2 innings. RBI groundouts by Ken Griffey Sr., and Dave Concepcion, a 2-run single by Don Gullett, and a sac fly by Cesar Geronimo put the Reds up 5-4 after six. The lead didn't last long as the Yankees put up two in the seventh on an RBI double by Tony Lazzeri, and a bases loaded walk to Frankie Crosetti. Dan Driessen tied it at six in the bottom of the eighth with a solo HR. The Bombers took the lead for good in the ninth as Red Rolfe's single off Rawly Eastwick drove home Tommy Henrich. Pat Malone took over in the ninth and retired the Reds without incident despite a single by Tony Perez. He struck out George Foster to drop the hammer on a huge game.
Game six appeared close, but the Reds had the lead the whole way and won it 11-9, which set up Game 7. Tony Lazzeri's 2-run single put the Yanks up 2-0 in the first, but this one was far from over. An RBI single by Geronimo and a sac fly by Gary Nolan tied the score right away in the top of the second. The top of the fourth was a bit of a comedy of errors as Driessen reached on an error by Lazzeri and scored on a throwing error by Dickey trying to nab Concepcion at second on a steal attempt. Geronimo hit a sac fly and the Reds were up 4-2 after 4. They could almost taste it, but it was not to be as the Yanks would score one on a ground ball double play in the sixth, one on an RBI single by Dickey in the seventh, and two more in the eighth on a two out RBI double by George Selkirk followed by an RBI single from Tommy Henrich. Lefty Gomez retired Driessen, Concepcion and Geronimo in order in the ninth and the Yankees took the series in 7. Tough loss for the Big Red Machine, but the 1937 Yankees are going to the Elite Eight, and the 1975 Reds are goin' home. Game 7 box in two parts, Game 7 log of 8th inning, and Series Recap below:
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