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