REGIONAL #26:  This regional had the 1977 NL pennant winner, the Dodgers, but the ELO favorite was actually a different NL team from the same year:  the Phillies.  There was also a Pirates team that would have an epic WS win the following season, a solid White Sox team from the 50s, and two bad Senators teams that gave Washington the #7 and #8 seeds for the bracket.  The ELO ranks predicted a rematch of the 1977 NLCS in the regional final–but with a different outcome than actually occurred.

Although the game between the 1978 Pirates and the 1978 Indians matched a good team and a bad team from the same season, it proved to be tightly contested as the Indians jumped to a 1-0 lead, which lasted until a Willie Stargell 2-run homer in the 7th inning.  However, the Indians tied it with a Bo Diaz RBI single in the top of the 8th and the game is knotted 2-2 after nine.  In the bottom of the 10th, Dan Spillner is trying to keep the Indians alive but a walk and a John Milner double gives the Pirates the walk-off 3-2 win in extra innings.  The pennant winning 1977 Dodgers have no trouble dispatching the 1971 Senators, with homers from Ron Cey and Dusty Baker leading a 7-run onslaught in the 5th inning, Steve Garvey contributing 4 RBI, and Rick Rhoden makes one mistake–a 2-run homer to Tommy McCraw–and LA wins 12-2.  However, the prospects of an NLCS rematch end quickly when the 1978 Cardinals upset the 1977 Phillies, 4-1, with George Hendrick leading the way with a homer and 3 RBI and Pete Vuckovich tossing a 5-hitter.  Finally, Billy Pierce spins a 6-hit shutout and the 1956 White Sox down the 1961 Senators 4-0, with a Larry Doby blast providing all the margin needed.

In the semifinals, the 1978 Pirates start fast with an Omar Moreno leadoff homer in the 1st inning, but the 1977 Dodgers respond with homers from Ron Cey and Steve Yeager and the Dodgers come back to head to the finals with a 6-4 win, Don Sutton getting the decision over Bert Blyleven.  In the other game, the 1978 Cardinals jump to a 5-0 lead with a Ted Simmons homer chasing starter Howie Pollet after only 2+ innings, but the 1956 White Sox struggle back into the game and knock John Denny out of the game in the 9th while scoring three.  However, Cards closer Mark Littell comes in to preserve the 8-6 win for the Cardinals.  The final thus comes down to the pennant-winning #2 seeded 1977 Dodgers against the #5 seed, 93-loss 1978 Cardinals.  Both teams have trouble finding hits, but two unearned runs on an Dodger error in the 4th proves to be the deciding margin as the Cardinals wrap up a 3-1 win and the regional title.  They join the 1973 team as the second Cards squad to top their bracket.