The Enquirer

By all accounts, the Reds' season has been a success. They entered Saturday with a 50-47 record, only 3 1/2 games out of the wild-card race.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Saturday's game

Monday, they will play their 100th game of the season.

Last year, the Reds were 44-56, in fifth place, 11 1/2 games out of first place at the 100-game mark.

This brings to mind the spectacular season of 1970.

The Reds got off to a 70-30 start, the majors' best opening 100-game stretch since the 1944 Cardinals opened 73-27. The Cards, of course, dominated in an era when the talent pool was depleted by World War II.

The Reds won the NL West at 102-60, 14 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers.

In '70, Johnny Bench had career highs of 45 homers and 148 RBI, both best in the NL. Tony Perez hit 40 homers and had 129 RBI, and Lee May posted a 34-94 season.

On the mound, Jim Merritt was 20-12 with a 4.08 ERA and Gary Nolan was 18-7 with a 3.76 ERA. Rookie Wayne Simpson, who was 13-1 with a 2.69 ERA at the All-Star break, finished 14-3, 3.02.

The Reds swept the Pirates three straight in the NLCS, allowing only four runs. But the Reds lost to Baltimore in the World Series, 4 games to 1. Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson was the MVP, hitting .429 with several spectacular plays.

They built it, then they came

The Reds are averaging 30,207 fans per home game this season, on pace to break the attendance figure from Great American Ball Park's inaugural season. Here are the average attendances for the past 10 seasons:

2004: 30,207

2003: 29,077

2002: 23,197

2001: 23,208

2000: 31,431

1999: 25,137

1998: 25,137

1997: 22,047

1996: 22,981

1995: 31,102

Note: That 1970 team boasted then-record attendance of 1,803,568. The team began the season at Crosley Field and moved to Riverfront Stadium on June 30. In 43 Riverfront dates, the Reds drew an average of 28,736, including 10 sellouts.

Trivia question

Paul Wilson has been the victim of five blown saves, costing him any shot at 20 victories. Who was the last Red to win 20 games?

Who's hot

D'Angelo Jimenez. The second baseman hasn't committed an error since May 23, covering 224 chances. His 46-game errorless streak entering Saturday is his longest since last July-August when he went 48 games without an error (245 chances).

Who's not

Ryan Wagner. The reliever has struggled since returning from Triple-A Louisville. He has allowed seven runs in seven innings, including a grand slam to the Cubs' Aramis Ramirez Thursday.

Numbers game

0: Hits by Reds pinch hitters in their last 10 at-bats.

.384: Sean Casey's batting average (33-for-86, 3 HR, 17 RBI) in his career at PNC Park. Casey is a Pittsburgh native.

10: Saves needed by Danny Graves to tie the single-season record of 44 set by Jeff Brantley in 1996.

9-4: Reds' record in games they were tied after eight innings.

36-28: Record in games they homer.

14-19: Record in games they fail to homer.

2-20: Record in games they score fewer than three runs.

13-13: Record in one-run games.

Trivia answer

Danny Jackson was the last Red to win 20 games. His 23 victories in 1988 led the NL, his first season as a Red. Jackson was acquired from Kansas City for pitcher Ted Power and shortstop Kurt Stillwell.

The week ahead

The Reds have a six-game homestand, with Thursday an off day. The Reds host the first-place Cardinals, to whom they lost three of four games last week, Monday to Wednesday. Then Houston comes in for three games beginning Friday. As the Astros rotation is set, Roger Clemens will not pitch.