Revisiting the Mets’ 1973 NLCS victory over the Reds

Unlike their first time in the NLCS, which saw them sweep the Braves, the Mets’ second appearance in the series went a full five games. At just 82-79, the Mets won the National League East. The Reds—in the heart of their Big Red Machine years with a lineup that included Pete Rose and future Hall-of-Famers Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, and Johnny Bench—won the National League West with a 99-63 record, fending off the 95-66 Dodgers to win that division and earn a spot in the NLCS.

Game 1

The first game of the series came in at a crisp two hours on the dot, as Tom Seaver started for the Mets in Cincinnati opposite the Reds’ Jack Billingham. The Mets got on the board with a run in the second inning…