1970 World Series
Sparky Anderson's first year as a major league manager produced 102 wins and the first of four NL pennants in a seven-year stretch.
The Reds featured a heavy-hitting lineup that included future Hall of Famers in catcher Johnny Bench (45 home runs, 148 RBI and .293 batting average) and third baseman Tony Pérez (40, 129, .317), as well as all-time hits leader Pete Rose (15, 52, .316) in right field, NL stolen base leader Bobby Tolan (16, 80, .316) in center field and power-hitting first baseman Lee May (34, 94, .253).
Two-time 20-game winner Jim Maloney could only make three starts during the regular season and was shelved with a ruptured tendon in his toe.
[4] Mike Cuellar (24–8, 3.48 ERA), Dave McNally (24–9, 3.22) and future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer (20–10, 2.71) were all well-rested and ready for the Series.
The Orioles' offense answered with a two-run homer by Boog Powell in the fourth inning, off Reds starter Gary Nolan.
In the sixth, Robinson made a spectacular backhanded grab of a hard grounder down the line by May before spinning to throw him out.
The Reds had Bernie Carbo on third and Tommy Helms on first when Ty Cline, batting for Woody Woodward, hit a high chopper in front of the plate.
The Reds scored three in the first on a two-run double by Lee May, who went to third when Orioles center fielder Paul Blair bobbled the ball.
With one out, Reds' starter Jim McGlothlin gave up successive singles to pinch-hitter Chico Salmon and Don Buford.
Wilcox gave up RBI singles to Powell and Brooks Robinson and the crushing blow, a two-run double to Elrod Hendricks.
[11] American actor and singer Tony Martin sang the National Anthem prior to the first pitch, which was thrown out by former NL President Warren Giles.
After Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan led the game off with consecutive hits, Robinson made a sensational, leaping grab of Tony Pérez's hopper, stepped on third and fired to first for a double play.
In the second inning, Robinson snagged a slow grounder hit by Tommy Helms and threw out the sprinting second baseman.
Next inning Dave McNally's grand slam off of Wayne Granger blew the game open and put the Orioles up 8–1.
[12] The Reds staved off a Series sweep thanks to clutch hitting by Lee May and stellar relief pitching by rookie Don Gullett and veteran Clay Carroll.
[13] In the eighth, Perez walked and Johnny Bench singled off Baltimore starter Jim Palmer, who was then relieved by Eddie Watt.
The Reds' victory snapped Baltimore's 17-game winning streak which included the final 11 regular-season games and a three-game sweep over Minnesota in the ALCS.
Seemingly re-energized from their Game 4 win, the Reds rocked Orioles starter Mike Cuellar for three runs in the first on an RBI single by Johnny Bench and a two-run double by Hal McRae.
The Orioles scored two runs in the bottom of the first against Reds' 20-game winner Jim Merritt, who had been battling a sore arm and had not pitched in 10 days.
Total Baseball described Brooks Robinson's fielding with, "other-worldly defense at third (which) gave Reds right-handed hitters nightmares through the Series."
[14] The game was the last in the majors for Ashford, who became the first black umpire to work at the top level of baseball, when he was hired by the American League in 1966.
Ashford reached MLB's then-mandatory retirement age of 55 in late 1969, but was allowed by AL president Joe Cronin to come back for 1970, giving him the opportunity to break the World Series color barrier for umpires.
After losing to the Oakland Athletics four games to three in 1972, they proceeded to win back-to-back championships in 1975 (4–3 vs. the Red Sox) and 1976 (4–0 vs. the Yankees).
