REGIONAL #29:  Only one pennant winner was in this batch, the Miracle Mets of 1969, and from the ELO rankings it didn’t look like they would have a lot of competition; their main rival looked to be the AL West winning 1976 Royals, who at the time were establishing a tradition of losing to the Yankees in the ALCS.  The remaining teams did not conjure up images of greatness, although the 1965 Indians could be a darkhorse.  Given that just four regionals ago the ‘69 Cubs won their bracket, the Mets that beat them out were confident about their chances here.

Those favored 1969 Mets drew a mediocre example of their crosstown rivals, the 82-80 1971 Yankees, in the first round, with the Mets tapping Jim McAndrew to face off against Mel Stottlemyre.  To the horror of the Shea faithful, McAndrew falls apart in the 3rd, issuing three walks along with three hits–one a 3-run homer by Bobby Murcer–and by the time Nolan Ryan comes in and is able to end the inning, the Yanks lead 5-0.  Meanwhile, Stottlemyre keeps the Mets off the board until the bottom of the 9th, but that Ken Boswell RBI single is all she wrote for the Mets as there is no miracle here in the Yankees 5-1 victory.  In other action, the 1965 Indians get six RBI, from six different players, and they outlast the 1975 Brewers 6-4; the 1970 Giants ride the big bat of Willie McCovey, who contributes two homers and 6 RBI by himself to crush the 1982 Mets, 10-5; and the 1976 Royals jump out to a 4-0 lead over the 1956 Cubs on homers by Hal McRae and George Brett, but Paul Splittorf falters in the late innings and Marty Pattin has to come in to save the 4-3 win.

In the semifinals, the 1965 Indians move to a 5-0 lead over the 1970 Giants, paced by a 2-run double from Rocky Colavito, but Luis Tiant loses his touch in the 8th, eventually chased by a 2-run homer from Ken Henderson.  The Tribe brings in Gary Bell, who allows an RBI single to Ron Hunt in the 9th but manages to hold off the Giants for the 5-3 win and the trip to the finals.  The other semifinal is a see-saw affair; the 1971 Yankees take a 1-0 lead over the 1976 Royals in the 2nd but a Fred Patek double in the 3rd ties it.  A solo shot from Bobby Murcer in the 4th and the Yanks regain the lead, but Royals backup catcher Bob Stinson nails a solo blast of his own in the 5th, and a John Mayberry RBI single in the 6th gives the Royals a 3-2 lead.   The Yanks tie it in the 7th when Roy White leads off with a homer, and by this time both squads are into their pen, with KC’s Littell and NY’s Waslewski trying to keep their teams alive.  However, in the 8th a walk followed by a triple from KC LF Tom Poquette gives the Royals a lead that they won’t relinquish, heading to the finals with a 4-3 victory over their nemesis Yankees.

That sets up the final matchup between the #3 seed 1965 Indians and Sudden Sam McDowell against the #2 seed 1976 Royals and Al Fitzmorris.  Fred Whitfield and Rocky Colavito put the Indians up 2-0 in the top of the 1st, but KC comes roaring back, with two run doubles from Patek and Brett putting the Royals up 8-2 after five innings.  However, the Indians aren’t done yet, countering with three runs in the 6th and a Leon Wagner RBI single in the 7th, so the Royals summon their relief ace Steve Mingori, and he does the job, preserving the 8-6 win for Kansas City and giving the Royals their second regional title.  The Royals award MVP honors to their bullpen, who either won or saved all three of their games in the bracket.