REGIONAL #23:  This group had some serious talent concentrated in the bottom half of the bracket, including two pennant winners, the WS Champion 1954 Giants and the 1927 Pirates, victims of the legendary Yanks in the Series.  However, there were also good teams from the Reds and the Tigers that could pose as stumbling blocks in that half.  The top portion of the bracket was less impressive, with the 88-win 1969 Pirates being the top ranked squad, although the regional favorite to take it all was the championship Giants team.  

In first round action, the 1974 Phillies eliminated the 1967 Yankees, 5-2, as Dick Ruthven tossed a six-hitter and a 2-run triple from Mike Anderson in the 8th pushed the game out of reach.  The 1969 Pirates and 1982 Padres fought to a 2-2 tie after nine, but in the top of the 10th Juan Bonilla, who had hit zero homers during the regular season, took Pirate starter Dock Ellis deep and the Pirates couldn’t answer so the Padres march on with the 5-2 win.  The favored 1954 Giants get first inning homers from Don Mueller and Dusty Rhodes and Sal Maglie turns in a 5-hitter as the 1971 Tigers lose two to injury and are eliminated in a 4-1 game.   The other pennant winner of the bracket, the 1927 Pirates, do not fare as well as Jay O’Toole of the 92-win 1964 Reds stymies them with a 3-hitter, Deron Johnson hits two homers, and the Reds coast to a 6-0 victory.

In the semifinals, the 1974 Phillies jump to a 3-0 lead against the 1982 Padres, but SD ties it in the 5th with clutch hits from Sixto Lezcano and Gene Richards.  A Mike Schmidt homer puts the Phils back on top in the 6th, and Dave Cash drives in two more in the top of the 9th; the Padres try to stage a comeback in the bottom of the ninth and score on a Terry Kennedy double, but Jim Lonborg holds on and the Phillies move to the final with the 6-4 win.  In the other semi, the 1954 Giants flex their muscle and knock 1964 Reds starter Jim Maloney out of the game in the 4th inning en route to an 11-3 win in which Willie Mays, Whitey Lockman, and Al Dark all contributed homers.  

The finals match the #1 seeded 1954 Giants against the #7 seed 1974 Phillies, and although on paper it doesn’t look like a fair fight, it is important to remember that a #1 seed hasn’t won a regional since #11, so anything can and will happen.  And what happens is a duel between Johnny Antonelli and Steve Carlton; the Giants do score in the 2nd on a Monte Irvin solo HR, and eventually manage another run in the top of the 7th on an Al Dark RBI single.  However, Greg Luzinski doubles in the bottom of the inning to cut the margin to 2-1, but Hank Thompson smacks a solo shot in the 8th for insurance that turns out to be needed when Jay Johnstone singles home a run for the Phils in the bottom of the 9th.  At that point, the Giants turn to closer Hoyt Wilhelm, and he records the final out to give the Giants the 3-2 win and the regional crown.