Reds take 3 of 4 from Cardinals

As the season wound down the Cincinnati Reds topped off a solid campaign by taking their final three games of the season, after St. Louis took the opener of the four game closing set. Four Cardinal pitchers combined to surrender only 5 hits and one tally in the 4-1 Redbird victory in the opener, with Albert Pujols and Chris Duncan connecting for back-to-back home runs off Gary Nolan in the fifth to provide most of the offense. Ernie Broglio got the win in relief of Bob Gibson, who had to exit in the fourth inning with tightness in his right shoulder. The Cardinals took no chance in extending Gibson with the team out of the race, as he looks to be a promising young hurler with a live fast ball who once he gains some control could be one of the better pitchers in the game.

Wayne Simpson, another pitcher who looks to have a terrific future, pitched 2 hit ball over 7

innings as the Reds shut down the Cardinals in game two 5-0. The Reds pounded out 11 hits, 3 each by Frank Robinson and Ron Oester, with Frank including a double and triple among his base knocks. Robinson looks to be a future hall of famer if he stays healthy, and could be one of those "franchise" players that become untouchable in potential trade talks, and by the end of his career could establish several Cincinnati club records and become a legend in the Queen City.

Game three saw the Reds score two in the bottom of the first off of Ron Taylor, used solely in relief before this one start, before the Cardinals countered with 5 of their own in the second. The Reds got one back in the third, then leap-frogged to the lead with 3 in the sixth and that's where the scoring ended, 6-5 Cincinnati. Chris Duncan homered again, number 7, ending up with 3 hits and 3 RBI in a strong finish to a fine season. Vada Pinson, close to the equal of Robinson, hit number 4 for Cincinnati.

The final game of the season was all Reds again as

Wyoming's Tom Browning was backed by an 11 hit attack and cruised to a 5-2 win. Vada Pinson and Tommy Helms hit 1 and 2 in the order for the Reds and were on base in 4 of their combined 9 plate appearances, including a double (Pinson) and homer (Helms).  The Cardinals not only did not pitch well but added insult to injury by committing three errors in an extremely lackluster performance to close the season.

--submitted by BikeMike--