Reds manager Christy Mathewson, who left the club late in the 1918 season to enlist in the United States Army for World War I, was accidentally gassed during a chemical training exercise and subsequently developed tuberculosis.
Moran had previously managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1915 until 1918, leading the team to a 323–257 record, and won the National League pennant in 1915.
On February 1, the Reds traded away outfielder Tommy Griffith to the Brooklyn Robins in exchange for first baseman Jake Daubert.
Daubert, who had spent his entire nine-year career with Brooklyn, hit .308 with two home runs, 47 RBI and a league high 15 triples in 108 games during the 1918 season.
Outfielder Edd Roush led the National League with a .321 batting average, and he added four home runs, a team high 71 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 133 games.
Third baseman Heinie Groh batted .310 with a team high five home runs, 63 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 122 games.
Outfielder Greasy Neale led the Reds with 28 stolen bases, while batting .242 with a home run and 54 RBI in 139 games.
Dutch Ruether led the National League in winning percentage, as he finished the season with a 19–6 record and a team best 1.82 ERA in 33 games.
The White Sox tied the game in the top of the second inning as a Chick Gandil single scored Shoeless Joe Jackson.
The Reds retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Ivey Wingo singled to right field, scoring Larry Kopf.
With two men on base, pitcher Dutch Ruether helped his own cause, hitting a triple, scoring Greasy Neale and Wingo, opening up the Reds lead to 4–1.
In the eighth inning, the Reds took a 9–1 lead as Dutch Ruether hit his second triple of the game off of Grover Lowdermilk, driving home Greasy Neale.
The White Sox cut into the Reds lead in the seventh inning, as Ray Schalk singled home Swede Risberg.
Dickey Kerr pitched a masterpiece for the White Sox, as he finished with a three hit shutout, as Chicago won the game 3–0, cutting the series lead to 2–1.
After fourth scoreless innings, the Reds caught a break when Pat Duncan reached second base on a throwing error by Eddie Cicotte.
The White Sox struck back with a run of their own in the fifth inning, as Eddie Collins hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Swede Risberg, cutting the Reds lead to 4–1.
In the sixth inning, the White Sox cut the lead to 4-2 when Shoeless Joe Jackson singled home Buck Weaver.
Happy Felsch then doubled, scoring Jackson, and cut the Reds lead to 4–3, as Ruether was pulled out of the game, replaced with Jimmy Ring.
In the fifth inning, the White Sox continued to pile on the offense, as Happy Felsch singled off of Sallee, scoring Collins and Buck Weaver.
The Reds broke the shutout in the sixth inning, when Heinie Groh hit a ground rule double, then came around to score on a single by Pat Duncan, cutting the White Sox lead to 4–1.
The White Sox got on the board in the third inning, as Shoeless Joe Jackson hit a home run to right field, cutting the Reds lead to 5–1.
In the fifth inning, the Reds Larry Kopf tripled off of Bill James, and was brought home after a Greasy Neale single, making it 6-1 Cincinnati.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the White Sox made a last attempt to comeback, as a double by Shoeless Joe Jackson scored Eddie Collins and Buck Weaver, cutting the Reds lead to 10–3.