May 9, 1973, Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench wins a battle of future Hall of Famers. For the second time in his career, the All-Star catcher hits three home runs against left-hander Steve Carlton. Bench finishes with seven RBIs to lead the Reds over the Philadelphia Phillies, 9-7.

Reggie Jackson may have earned the nickname “Mr. October,” but Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny bench could easily lay claim to the title instead. His timely blasts helped the Reds in four separate post-seasons.

In the 1972 playoffs, the Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates battled to a deciding fifth game. Playing in Cincinnati and trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Bench homered to tie the score and the Reds went on to win the game and the pennant.

In 1973, the Reds squared off against the New York Mets in the NL Playoffs. In the opening game, Tom Seaver took a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the ninth in Cincinnati. Bench blasted a home run off the future Hall of Famer and the Reds won 2-1. The Mets went on to win the series in five games, but Bench had three extra-base hits in the clash.

The 1975 World Series is regarded by many as the greatest ever played. In Game Two, in the bottom of the ninth inning with his team trailing the Red Sox 2-1, Bench doubled off Bill Lee and scored the tying run. The Reds went on to win the game 3-2, and ultimately the series. Even though Bench batted just .207 in the series, three of his six hits were for extra bases, and he drove in four runs.

The 1976 post-season truly belonged to Johnny Bench. In the playoffs against the Philadelphia Phillies he batted .333 in the three-game sweep. In the final game, with the Phils clinging to a 6-5 lead, Bench homered off Ron Reed to tie the score, paving the way to victory. In the World Series, Bench performed as well as any batter in history, collecting eight hits (four for extra-bases) in the four-game sweep of the New York Yankees. He batted .533 and hit two homers with six RBI. In Game Four, he hit a three-run blast in the top of the ninth to clinch the game and the series.

In all, Bench played in ten post-season series — four World Series and six NL playoff series. He hit at least one homer in every series but one. In 45 post-season games he drove in 20 runs.

Today’s line up: Click to Listen

May 9, 1968 Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators

May 9, 1965 New York Yankees at Washington Senators

May 9, 1965 Milwaukee Braves at New York Mets

This Week in Baseball May 9, 1978

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

May 9, 1927 -- Pounding five Boston Red Sox pitchers for 22 hits, the 2nd-place Detroit Tigers outlast the Red Sox, 17 - 11. Harry Heilmann leads the cat attack with two homers and two singles. LISTEN HERE

May 9, 1935 — The Boston Braves’ Rabbit Maranville sets a new record for National League service by appearing in his 23rd season. It is his first appearance since breaking his ankle in last year’s spring training. The Rabbit has a single but Tex Carleton is too much for the Braves and the Cubs win, 8 – 1. LISTEN HERE

May 9, 1940 — The press reports the impending sale of the New York Yankees by the Ruppert estate to political bigwigs Jim Farley and Jesse Jones. The Sporting News declares the sale will be for $4 million. The imminent sale will resurface on the front page several times during the next year, but it will never happen. LISTEN HERE

May 9, 1947 — Philadelphia manager Ben Chapman, who admits he had been ‘kinda loud’ in leading his team in verbally abusing Jackie Robinson with racial slurs during yesterday’s game, sends word to the Brooklyn clubhouse that he would like to make amends by posing with the Dodger first baseman for the newspaper photographers. The orchestrated gesture, which Robinson agrees to, admitting later that is one of the hardest things he ever had to make himself do, is prompted by the bad press created by the Phillies manager’s intolerance and the wrath of Commissioner Chandler. LISTEN HERE

May 9, 1950 — Ralph Kiner of the Pirates hits his second grand slam in three days – and the eighth of his career – and adds a three-run homer to drives in seven runs as the Pirates beat Brooklyn, 10 – 5.

May 9, 1961, Baltimore Orioles slugger Jim Gentile of the Orioles becomes the third player to hit grand slams in consecutive innings (after Tony Lazzeri in 1936 and Jim Tabor in 1939; Rudy York also hit two grand slams in a game in 1946, but not in consecutive innings) when he belts one-off Pedro Ramos in the 1st and adds another off Paul Giel in the 2nd. His 8 RBI in consecutive innings set a major league record. As the Orioles crush the twins 13-5.

May 9, 1962, future Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles clubs a grand slam against Ed Rakow of the Kansas City A’s. Robinson had hit a grand slam in his last game, making him one of five American League players to connect on bases-loaded home runs in consecutive games. Brooks hit his first grand slam on May 6th.

May 9, 1973 -- Baltimore's Al Bumbry and Rich Coggins hit their first major league homers, slugging them back-to-back off the Athletics' Catfish Hunter. The A's still win, 4 - 3.

May 9, 1989, Kevin Elster's record-setting errorless streak comes to an end. The New York Mets’ shortstop makes his first error after 88 consecutive games without a miscue on the same day Red Sox catcher Rick Cerone end his major league-record errorless game streak at 159.

TRIVIA ANSWER BELOW: