11/14/2023 Cincinnati Reds - 1978 World Series ChampionsThe Cincinnati Reds defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4 games to 1 to win the 1978 World Series. The Series was closer than the Series implies, with games 4 and 5 going to extra innings. The Reds jumped out on top 3-0 in the first inning of Game 1 led by Bernie Carbo’s RBI double. The Brewers narrowed the lead to 3-2 on Rusty Torres’ 3rd inning homer. Leroy Stanton expanded the Reds lead to 5-2 in the 4th, and the Brewers scored in the 5th and 6th to narrow the gap, but fell short. The Reds took the early Series lead with the 5-4 win. The Reds jumped out in front early in Game 2 with a 5-2 lead after 3. In the 6th, Rusty Torres hit an RBI triple and scored for the Brewers to tie the game, 5-5. Gorman Thomas hit a 2 run homer in the top of the 8th to give to give the Brewers the victory 7-6, evening the Series. Wayne Simpson pitched 8 strong innings for the Reds in Game 3, holding the Brewers to 1 run, striking out 10. The Reds jumped out in front early, scoring 4 runs in the 1st. After walking the bases loaded Dan Driessen hit a sac fly and Pete Rose followed with a 2 RBI double. The Reds took the Series lead with the 5-1 victory. The Brewers jumped out in front in Game 4, 3-0 in the 1st. Frank Tepedino started the scoring with a solo homer, and Rick Auerbach followed with a 2 run double. The Reds narrowed the lead in the 4th and tied it in the 5th on Carbo’s RBI double. The game remained tied at 3-3 into extra innings. In the top of the 12th, the Reds exploded for 6 runs. Johnny Bench hit a 2 RBI double, and Stanton followed with a 3 run homer giving the Reds the win 9-3 and the Series lead 3-1. In Game 5 the Brewers took the early lead 2-0 on solo homers by Gorman Thomas in the 1st and Darrell Porter in the 4th. The Reds tied the game 2-2 in the 7th on Bench’s RBI. Rich Morales put the Reds on top 3-2 in the top of the 9th, but the Brewers tied the game 3-3 on Ed Brinkman’s RBI single in the bottom half of the 9th. In the top of the 10th, the Reds scored 7 runs. Series MVP Joe Lahoud started the scoring leading off with a homer, and closed the inning with a 2 RBI single. The Reds won the Championship with the 10-3 victory. Joe Lahoud won the Series MVP batting .368 with a 1.526 OPS, 3 doubles 1 Home Run and 6 RBI. Gorman Thomas led the Brewers on offense batting .263 with a 1.632 OPS 3 Home Runs, 2 doubles and 5 RBI. |