Foster and Bench Power Reds Pursuit of Division Leaders

National League 
Chicago 2 at Pittsburgh 5
-The Pirates earn the split with the Cubs thanks to the arms of Bert Blyleven (8-3, 3.27), Dave Giusti (2.01) and Kent Tekulve (17Sv, 1.96)
San Francisco 2 at Cincinnati 3
-George Foster (17) and Johnny Bench (21) hit back to back home runs as the Reds are just a half game back of idle Houston and San Diego in the NL West. Rawly Eastwick (19Sv, 2.84) added to his NL best save total in the win.

American League
Boston 6 at Baltimore 1
-The Sox are back to championship form as they avenge a 3-1 series loss at Fenway last weekend with a 3-1 series win at Baltimore. Rick Krueger (5-4, 3.50) earned the win and Bob Watson hit his 8^th home run of  the season for the Red Sox who leave Maryland just two games out of 1^st
Kansas City 6 at Milwaukee 14
-The Royals had a chance to tie the idle Angels for 1^st place in the AL West but instead fall into a tie for 2^nd place with idle Oakland. K.C. held a 5-0 lead but the Brewers exploded off Steve Busby (4.05), Lindy McDaniel (3-5, 3.62) and Don Hood (7.16) in the middle innings. Robin Yount and Rick Manning each drove in four runs for the Brew Crew.

Cincinnati 3, San Francisco 2

6/28/1976, SFG76-CIN76, Riverfront Stadium
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1976 San Francisco     0  0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0     2  9  1     7  0
1976 Cincinnati        0  0  0  2  0  0  0  1  x     3  5  0     5  2
 
San Francisco        AB  R  H BI   AVG    Cincinnati           AB  R  H BI   AVG
May               c   4  0  1  0  .246    Concepcion        ss  4  0  2  0  .298
Arnold            2b  3  0  0  0  .280    Bailey            1b  3  0  0  0  .292
Matthews          rf  4  2  3  1  .293     Lum              ph  1  0  0  0  .204
Andrews           ss  4  0  0  0  .273    Rose              3b  4  0  1  1  .332
McCovey           1b  3  0  0  0  .273    Foster            lf  3  1  1  1  .300
Reitz             3b  4  0  4  1  .242    Bench             c   4  1  1  1  .260
Youngblood        cf  3  0  1  0  .128    Vail              rf  3  0  0  0  .213
 Joshua           ph  1  0  0  0  .268    Auerbach          2b  3  0  0  0  .219
Summers           lf  4  0  0  0  .111     Morgan           2b  0  0  0  0  .332
Blue              p   2  0  0  0  .111    Geronimo          cf  3  0  0  0  .249
 Thomas           ph  1  0  0  0  .295    Norman            p   2  0  0  0  .182
 Williams         p   0  0  0  0  .333     Biittner         ph  0  1  0  0  .378
 Adams            ph  1  0  0  0  .234     Eastwick         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     34  2  9  2                               30  3  5  3
 
San Francisco                    INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Blue                             6.0  3  2  2  0  6  75  50  4.10
Williams         L 1-4           2.0  2  1  1  2  1  32  15  3.49
                                 8.0  5  3  3  2  7 107  65 
 
Cincinnati                       INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Norman           W 6-9           8.0  8  2  2  2  5 107  76  3.90
Eastwick         S 19            1.0  1  0  0  0  1  17  13  2.84
                                 9.0  9  2  2  2  6 124  89 
 
SFG: Thomas batted for Blue in the 7th
     Joshua batted for Youngblood in the 9th
     Adams batted for Williams in the 9th
CIN: Morgan inserted at 2b in the 8th
     Biittner batted for Norman in the 8th
     Lum batted for Bailey in the 8th
     Lum moved to 1b in the 9th
 
E-Andrews. 2B-May, Reitz 2. HR-Matthews(9), Foster(17), Bench(21). K-Arnold, 
Andrews 2, McCovey, Summers, Joshua, Bailey, Vail, Auerbach, Geronimo 2, 
Norman 2. BB-Arnold, McCovey, Foster, Biittner. 
GWRBI: Rose