Game 1 October 16, 1972 @ Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
Oakland 0
Cincinnati 1
Cincinnati leads series 1-0
Ken Holtzman (1-0) v Gary Nolan (1-0)
As has been a the norm in this post season, pitching dominated game one. Holtzman didn't allow a hit until Johnny Bench's single in the 7th inning. The A's offense wasn't having much more success against Nolan as he allowed on three hits himself up to that point. The game was still scoreless after nine innings and it head into extra innings. Clay Carroll took over in the 10th and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Bob Locker came on for Holtzman to start the 10th for Oakland. The first batter he faced was Johnny Bench. Bench wasted little time as he launched an offering from Locker into the seats in left for a game winning home run. The Reds stun Oakland 1-0 and grab the early lead in the series.
As has been a the norm in this post season, pitching dominated game one. Holtzman didn't allow a hit until Johnny Bench's single in the 7th inning. The A's offense wasn't having much more success against Nolan as he allowed on three hits himself up to that point. The game was still scoreless after nine innings and it head into extra innings. Clay Carroll took over in the 10th and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Bob Locker came on for Holtzman to start the 10th for Oakland. The first batter he faced was Johnny Bench. Bench wasted little time as he launched an offering from Locker into the seats in left for a game winning home run. The Reds stun Oakland 1-0 and grab the early lead in the series.
Game 2 October 17, 1972 @ Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
Oakland 1
Cincinnati 2
Cincinnati leads series 2-0
Catfish Hunter (1-0) v Ross Grimsley (1-0)
Game two looked a lot like game one. Pitching ruled the day as both teams struggled to generate any offense. Oakland did strike in the first inning. A sac fly from Reggie Jackson put them up 1-0. The Reds took the lead in the 2nd inning. Back to back doubles by Tony Perez and Denis Menke opened the inning and tied the game up. George Foster followed with an RBI single and the Reds had a 2-1 lead. That would be the last of the scoring. Grimsley, Pedro Borbon and Tom Hall blanked the A's the rest of the way. Hunter only allowed five hits in the game, three of them in the 2nd inning, but he gets the loss. The series heads to Oakland with the Reds up 2-0. Maybe some California weather will warm up the bats?
Game two looked a lot like game one. Pitching ruled the day as both teams struggled to generate any offense. Oakland did strike in the first inning. A sac fly from Reggie Jackson put them up 1-0. The Reds took the lead in the 2nd inning. Back to back doubles by Tony Perez and Denis Menke opened the inning and tied the game up. George Foster followed with an RBI single and the Reds had a 2-1 lead. That would be the last of the scoring. Grimsley, Pedro Borbon and Tom Hall blanked the A's the rest of the way. Hunter only allowed five hits in the game, three of them in the 2nd inning, but he gets the loss. The series heads to Oakland with the Reds up 2-0. Maybe some California weather will warm up the bats?
Game 3 October 19, 1972 @ Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Cincinnati 2
Oakland 4
Cincinnati leads series 2-1
Jack Billingham (1-0) v Blue Moon Odom (1-0)
Oakland returns home for what really is a must win game. The thought of trying to win four straight against these Reds is not a pleasant one. The game is scoreless until the 3rd. Joe Morgan puts the Reds on top with a two run homer. An inning later, Oakland rallied. Reggie Jackson led off with a walk. He stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Johnny Bench. Mike Epstein singled him in to make it 2-1. Sal Bando was hit by a pitch and Dal Maxvil bunted the runners over to 2nd and 3rd. Dave Duncan then came up and delivered a three run homer to put the A's up 4-2. Odom shut the door after that. He ended up pitching seven strong innings. Darold Knowles closed things out in the 8th and 9th and the A's are back in the series with a 4-2 win.
Oakland returns home for what really is a must win game. The thought of trying to win four straight against these Reds is not a pleasant one. The game is scoreless until the 3rd. Joe Morgan puts the Reds on top with a two run homer. An inning later, Oakland rallied. Reggie Jackson led off with a walk. He stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Johnny Bench. Mike Epstein singled him in to make it 2-1. Sal Bando was hit by a pitch and Dal Maxvil bunted the runners over to 2nd and 3rd. Dave Duncan then came up and delivered a three run homer to put the A's up 4-2. Odom shut the door after that. He ended up pitching seven strong innings. Darold Knowles closed things out in the 8th and 9th and the A's are back in the series with a 4-2 win.
Game 4 October 20, 1972 @ Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Cincinnati 5
Oakland 2
Cincinnati leads series 3-1
Gary Nolan (1-0) v Ken Holtzman (1-0)
The A's come to the park with a better outlook on things after winning game three. The feeling continues when Joe Rudi hits a solo homer in the first inning, but Tony Perez counters with a solo shot of his own in second inning to tie the game at 1-1. Dave Duncan led off the third for Oakland with a double. Holtzman bunted him over and Bert Campaneris drove him in with a sac fly giving the A's a 2-1 lead. That lead again didn't last long. With two outs and a man on first, the Reds rallied, scoring four times for a 5-2 lead. Perez stole 2nd and went to 3rd on Duncan's error. Denis Menkie doubled him in. Cesar Geronimo was walked intentionally and Dave Concepcion followed with an RBI single. Geronimo to 3rd and Concepcion took 2nd on the throw home. Pitcher Nolan came up and then drove them both in with a single right up the middle. The Reds suddenly had a 5-2 lead. After that, Nolan cruised through the 8th inning. Clay Carroll came on to close out the game in the 9th, and the Reds are now one game away from the title. They win game four 5-2.
The A's come to the park with a better outlook on things after winning game three. The feeling continues when Joe Rudi hits a solo homer in the first inning, but Tony Perez counters with a solo shot of his own in second inning to tie the game at 1-1. Dave Duncan led off the third for Oakland with a double. Holtzman bunted him over and Bert Campaneris drove him in with a sac fly giving the A's a 2-1 lead. That lead again didn't last long. With two outs and a man on first, the Reds rallied, scoring four times for a 5-2 lead. Perez stole 2nd and went to 3rd on Duncan's error. Denis Menkie doubled him in. Cesar Geronimo was walked intentionally and Dave Concepcion followed with an RBI single. Geronimo to 3rd and Concepcion took 2nd on the throw home. Pitcher Nolan came up and then drove them both in with a single right up the middle. The Reds suddenly had a 5-2 lead. After that, Nolan cruised through the 8th inning. Clay Carroll came on to close out the game in the 9th, and the Reds are now one game away from the title. They win game four 5-2.
Game 5 October 21, 1972 @ Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Cincinnati 4
Oakland 9
Cincinnati leads series 3-2
Ross Grimsley (2-0) v Catfish Hunter (1-1)
In the first elimination game of the series, the A's woke up and pounded out 10 hits and 9 runs. Reggie Jackson's RBI single in the first got things started. It stayed that way until the fifth inning. In the fifth, Oakland got to Hunter and took the lead. George Foster led off with a single. One out later Grimsley singled. Pete Rose singled in a run to tie the game. Joe Morgan walked to load the bases and then Bobby Tolan also walked, putting the Reds up 2-1. Hunter came back to strike out Johnny Bench and get Tony Perez to pop out, avoiding any more damage. In the the sixth, with Oakland's season teetering on the brink, they busted out. Joe Rudi led off with a single. One out later Jackson singled. Mike Epstein walked to load the bases. That was all for Grimsely. Pedro Borborn was summoned from the pen. Sal Bando was safe on a fielders choice. The game was tied and bases were still loaded Dal Maxvil was safe on an error by Perez scoring another run. Dave Duncan's sac fly scored another and it was 4-2 Oakland. Hunter then singled in run to make it 5-2. In the 7th, Epstein hit a two run homer to make it a 7-2 game. Then just for some icing on the cake, Bert Campaneris hit a two run homer off of Don Gullett in the 8th. Julian Javier delivered a pinch hit two run homer for the Reds in the 9th, but that just made the score a little closer. Oakland wins 9-4 and we will head back to Cincinnati for game six.
In the first elimination game of the series, the A's woke up and pounded out 10 hits and 9 runs. Reggie Jackson's RBI single in the first got things started. It stayed that way until the fifth inning. In the fifth, Oakland got to Hunter and took the lead. George Foster led off with a single. One out later Grimsley singled. Pete Rose singled in a run to tie the game. Joe Morgan walked to load the bases and then Bobby Tolan also walked, putting the Reds up 2-1. Hunter came back to strike out Johnny Bench and get Tony Perez to pop out, avoiding any more damage. In the the sixth, with Oakland's season teetering on the brink, they busted out. Joe Rudi led off with a single. One out later Jackson singled. Mike Epstein walked to load the bases. That was all for Grimsely. Pedro Borborn was summoned from the pen. Sal Bando was safe on a fielders choice. The game was tied and bases were still loaded Dal Maxvil was safe on an error by Perez scoring another run. Dave Duncan's sac fly scored another and it was 4-2 Oakland. Hunter then singled in run to make it 5-2. In the 7th, Epstein hit a two run homer to make it a 7-2 game. Then just for some icing on the cake, Bert Campaneris hit a two run homer off of Don Gullett in the 8th. Julian Javier delivered a pinch hit two run homer for the Reds in the 9th, but that just made the score a little closer. Oakland wins 9-4 and we will head back to Cincinnati for game six.
Game 6 October 23, 1972 @ Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
Oakland 1
Cincinnati 5
Cincinnati wins series 4-2
Blue Moon Odom (2-0) v Jack Billingham (1-1)
Game six of the series returned to form as the pitchers dominated the game. The Reds scratched out a run in the first for an early lead. Pete Rose led off with a bunt single. Joe Morgan popped out, but then Bobby Tolan doubled and Johnny Bench walked to load the bases. Tony Perez grounded out to third, but Rose scored to make it 1-0. Oakland responded in the next inning. Sal Bando led off with a single. Mike Epstein struck out, but Matty Alou's double put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Dave Duncan's sac fly tied the game at 1-1. Tony Perez led off the fourth inning with a home run putting the Reds back on top 2-1. The score stayed that way until the eight inning. Gary Waslewski had come on for Odom in the sixth and was still on the mound for Oakland. Denis Menke led off the 8th with a single and George Foster followed that with a home run to right extending the Reds lead to 4-1. Dave Cocepcion and pinch hitter Ted Uhlaender followed with singles to put two men on and still nobody out. Rose flew out, but Morgan singled in a run to make it 5-1. The A's brought in Rollie Fingers to stop the bleeding but the damage was done. Clay Carroll got the ball in the 9th to finish Oakland off. When Matty Alou tapped a weak grounder to Carroll, the series was over. A flip of the ball to Perez and the Cincinnati Reds are the 1972 World Champions. They beat the Oakland A's in six games 4-2.
Game six of the series returned to form as the pitchers dominated the game. The Reds scratched out a run in the first for an early lead. Pete Rose led off with a bunt single. Joe Morgan popped out, but then Bobby Tolan doubled and Johnny Bench walked to load the bases. Tony Perez grounded out to third, but Rose scored to make it 1-0. Oakland responded in the next inning. Sal Bando led off with a single. Mike Epstein struck out, but Matty Alou's double put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Dave Duncan's sac fly tied the game at 1-1. Tony Perez led off the fourth inning with a home run putting the Reds back on top 2-1. The score stayed that way until the eight inning. Gary Waslewski had come on for Odom in the sixth and was still on the mound for Oakland. Denis Menke led off the 8th with a single and George Foster followed that with a home run to right extending the Reds lead to 4-1. Dave Cocepcion and pinch hitter Ted Uhlaender followed with singles to put two men on and still nobody out. Rose flew out, but Morgan singled in a run to make it 5-1. The A's brought in Rollie Fingers to stop the bleeding but the damage was done. Clay Carroll got the ball in the 9th to finish Oakland off. When Matty Alou tapped a weak grounder to Carroll, the series was over. A flip of the ball to Perez and the Cincinnati Reds are the 1972 World Champions. They beat the Oakland A's in six games 4-2.
1972 World Series MVP - Clay Carroll, Cincinnati
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Clay Carroll was the MVP of the 1972 World Series. Clay appeared in three games and was 1-0 with a save. He pitched 3.1 innings and didn't allow a base runner.