[abell1198]

We go to Cincinnati for Game 3. The 1939 New York Yankees are sending Marius Russo to the hill. Russo was 18-10 in the regular season with a 4.27 ERA. In the postseason, he is 3-2 with a 3.43 ERA. The 1975 Cincinnati Reds will start Don Gullett. Gullett was 14-12 during the season, with a 3.09 ERA. But he has not fared well in the playoffs, posting a mark of 2-5, with an ERA of 6.06.

While things may look good for the Yankees, it's the Reds who start the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Johnny Bench leads things off by popping out to short for the first out. George Foster doubles to left center, putting himself in scoring position. Tony Perez hits a single through the right side of the infield. Foster rounds third and the ball comes home. Foster beats the throw and is SAFE at home!! It looks like a rally is starting for Cincinnati, but Ken Griffey snuffs that out by lining into a 6-3 double play. Reds lead 1-0.

Joe Morgan would take matters into his own hands to score the second run for Cincinnati in the bottom of the 4th. Morgan draws a walk to lead off the inning, steals second and third, then scores on Johnny Bench's ground out to short. Reds lead 2-0.

New York would come back to tie the game in the top of the 5th. Charlie Keller leads off the inning with a double. After Red Rolfe lines out to first, Joe DiMaggio steps up and smacks a home run over the wall in left center. Game tied 2-2.

The Yankees would take the lead in the top of the 7th. Rolfe leads off the inning by striking out looking and DiMaggio flies out to center. But George Selkirk singles to right to extend the inning. Gullett is pulled and Will McEnaney (1-1, 2.77, 11 G, 13 IP) is brought in to pitch. He doesn't last long, as Bill Dickey doubles in Selkirk and Joe Gordon follows that up with a home run to left center. McEnaney, exit stage left. Pedro Borbon (0-0, 2.16, 1 Sv, 7 G, 8.1 IP) comes in and gets Babe Dahlgren to ground out to short to end the inning, but the Yankees now hold a 5-2 advantage.

The Reds would rally in the bottom half of the 7th. Foster singles to start things off, but Perez strikes out and Griffey lines out to right. So, with two outs, Cesar Geronimo steps up and delivers a double to left. Foster scores to make it 5-3. Merv Rettenmund (.250/.250/.315) is brought in to pinch hit and he makes the most of it, hitting a single past second to score Geronimo. But the rally ends with Dave Concepcion's fly out to left. The Yankees still lead, 5-4.

The score remains the same as we head to the bottom of the 9th. Johnny Murphy (1-0, 1.50, 6 Sv, 12 G, 12 IP) is on the mound to save it for the Yankees. Foster leads the inning off with a walk, but Perez strikes out, Griffey flies out to right and Geronimo goes down looking.

1939 New York Yankees 5 1975 Cincinnati Reds 4 '39 Yankees lead series 2-1