61 Redlegs shock 84 Metropolitans winning 2 of 3

GAME #1
CINCINNATI -- Bill Henry (3) took the mound for Cincy with 2 outs in the 9th and the Reds clinging to a 5-4 lead. Wally Backman represented the tying run at second. PH John Christensen came off the bench for the Metropolitans, and grounded to 1B to end the game.  New York tallied first when Rafael Santana doubled home Hubie Brooks in the 2nd. The Redlegs responded with a pair in the bottom half off a Jerry Lynch 2-run, 2-bagger. George Foster's (8) solo shot in the 4th tied it at 2-2. Gene Freese (3) led off with a HR in the B4 to give Cincy the lead back. Later in the inning, starting and winning pitcher Jim O'Toole (2-3) singled in another run to make it 4-2. Mookie Wilson (6) brought the Mets 1 closer with a solo blast in the 8th. Freese answered again in the bottom of the frame with an RBI double, 5-3 Reds. PH Rusty Staub got one more home for NY in the 9th with an IF groundout, but the rally ended there. The sensational rookie Dwight Gooden fell to 2-3.

Game #2
CINCINNATI -- Ron Darling (4-2) fired 8 innings of 3-hit, shutout ball as the Mets whitewhashed the Reds 3-0. Jesse Orosco (5) closed out the final inning. Foster was the leading offensive performer with 3 hits. He singled and scored in the 7th. In the 8th, he doubled in a run. Keith Hernandez drove in the New Yorkers first run with a sac fly in the 2nd. Joey Jay (2-5) started and lost for Cincinnati.

Game #3
NEW YORK -- Frank Robinson went 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 5 RBI to lead the Reds to an easy 8-1 win in the rubber game. F. Robby (5,6,7) cranked 3 shots out of the ballpark. Knuckleballer Bob Purkey (4-3) went the distance on the hill. Vada Pinson chipped in 3 hits. Walt Terrell (2-2) took the loss.