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