Due to a mid-season players' strike, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of each half played each other in a five-game divisional series. The Cincinnati Reds, despite having the best overall record during the season, finished 2nd in both halves, so did not qualify for the post-season.

1981 Regular Season Results

Date    OpponentResultScoreRecord
4/8vs PhiladelphiaW  3-2 1-0
4/10at AtlantaL  3-5 1-1
4/11at AtlantaW  3-2 2-1
4/12at AtlantaL  2-3 2-2
4/13at San DiegoW  7-1 3-2
4/14at San DiegoW  4-0 4-2
4/15at San DiegoW  10-1 5-2
4/17vs StL CardinalsL  5-9 5-3
4/18vs StL CardinalsL  4-10 5-4
4/21vs AtlantaL  1-10 5-5
4/22vs AtlantaL  3-7 5-6
4/23at HoustonW  5-4
10
6-6
4/24at HoustonW  3-0 7-6
4/25at HoustonW  2-1 8-6
4/26at HoustonL  0-1 8-7
4/28vs San DiegoW  11-2 9-7
4/29vs San DiegoW  8-5 10-7
4/30vs San DiegoW  4-3 11-7
5/1at StL CardinalsL  6-7 11-8
5/2at StL CardinalsL  3-7 11-9
5/3at StL CardinalsL  4-5
11
11-10
5/6vs PittsburghW  9-8 12-10
5/7vs PittsburghL  1-7 12-11
5/7vs PittsburghL  1-3 12-12
5/8vs HoustonW  4-0 13-12
5/9vs HoustonW  9-5 14-12
5/10vs HoustonL  5-7 14-13
5/11vs HoustonL  0-5 14-14
5/12vs Chi. CubsW  2-1 15-14
5/13vs Chi. CubsW  8-3 16-14
5/14vs Chi. CubsW  6-1 17-14
5/15at PittsburghW  4-1 18-14
5/16at PittsburghW  4-0 19-14
5/17at PittsburghW  4-3 20-14
5/19at Chi. CubsW  5-0 21-14
5/20at Chi. CubsW  10-7 22-14
5/21at Chi. CubsL  1-5 22-15
5/22vs LA DodgersL  2-4
12
22-16
5/23vs LA DodgersL  6-9
10
22-17
5/24vs LA DodgersW  3-2 23-17
5/24vs LA DodgersL  3-10 23-18
5/25vs San FranciscoW  6-3 24-18
5/27vs San FranciscoW  3-2 25-18
5/28vs San FranciscoW  7-4 26-18
5/29at LA DodgersL  2-5 26-19
5/30at LA DodgersW  9-1 27-19
5/31at LA DodgersL  4-16 27-20
6/1at San FranciscoW  8-5 28-20
6/2at San FranciscoL  7-15 28-21
6/3at San FranciscoW  6-2 29-21
6/5vs MontrealW  6-3 30-21
6/6vs MontrealW  9-3 31-21
6/7vs MontrealW  2-0 32-21
6/9at NY MetsW  8-4 33-21
6/10at NY MetsW  2-0 34-21
6/11at NY MetsW  5-2 35-21
8/10at LA DodgersL  0-4 35-22
8/11at LA DodgersW  7-6 36-22
8/12at LA DodgersL  5-8 36-23
8/14vs San FranciscoW  7-6
10
37-23
8/14vs San FranciscoL  0-4 37-24
8/15vs San FranciscoL  2-5 37-25
8/16vs San FranciscoW  2-1 38-25
8/18vs PhiladelphiaW  3-1 39-25
8/19vs PhiladelphiaW  6-3 40-25
8/21vs NY MetsW  2-0 41-25
8/22vs NY MetsL  4-7 41-26
8/23vs NY MetsL  2-3
10
41-27
8/24vs NY MetsW  2-0 42-27
8/25at MontrealL  1-9 42-28
8/26at MontrealL  0-6 42-29
8/27at MontrealL  0-12 42-30
8/28at NY MetsW  5-2 43-30
8/28at NY MetsL  2-3 43-31
8/30at NY MetsW  6-3 44-31
8/31vs MontrealW  9-8 45-31
9/1vs MontrealL  3-4 45-32
9/2vs MontrealW  7-0 46-32
9/3at PhiladelphiaW  9-3 47-32
9/4at PhiladelphiaL  6-7 47-33
9/5at PhiladelphiaL  4-5 47-34
9/6at PhiladelphiaW  5-4 48-34
9/7vs San DiegoW  8-7 49-34
9/8vs San DiegoL  1-6 49-35
9/9vs San DiegoW  5-4 50-35
9/11vs LA DodgersW  3-2
10
51-35
9/12vs LA DodgersW  6-5
11
52-35
9/13vs LA DodgersL  2-4 52-36
9/14at HoustonW  4-2 53-36
9/15at HoustonW  4-0 54-36
9/16at San FranciscoL  7-12 54-37
9/17at San FranciscoW  1-0
10
55-37
9/18at LA DodgersW  5-4 56-37
9/19at LA DodgersW  7-3 57-37
9/20at LA DodgersW  5-1 58-37
9/21at San DiegoL  0-6 58-38
9/22at San DiegoW  3-2 59-38
9/23at San DiegoW  5-1 60-38
9/25at AtlantaW  10-2 61-38
9/26at AtlantaW  2-0 62-38
9/27at AtlantaW  4-2 63-38
9/28vs San FranciscoL  0-4 63-39
9/29vs San FranciscoW  4-3 64-39
9/30vs HoustonW  5-2 65-39
10/1vs HoustonL  1-8 65-40
10/2vs AtlantaL  5-11 65-41
10/3vs AtlantaL  3-4 65-42
10/4vs AtlantaW  3-0 66-42