REGIONAL #41:  The most infamous team in this group were the brawling 1986 Mets, ranked as one of the 100 best teams in history according to ELO.  Although they were the only pennant winners in the bunch, there were top 1000 entries from the Phillies, Cardinals, Giants, and Dodgers, so it was an NL-dominated set with the rankings predicting a Mets win over the ‘78 Phillies in the final.

In the first round, the 1981 Cardinals dispatched the 1977 Cubs 4-2, knocking out Rick Reuschel in the 6th inning and riding a George Hendrick homer to the second round.  The 1978 Phillies did not fare as well against Jim McGlothlin and the 1968 Angels, losing 2-1 with Mike Schmidt going down to injury and solo homers by Don Mincher and Tom Satriano providing all the offense needed to support McGlothlin’s 5-hitter.   Thus, the Phils wouldn’t be making the finals as predicted, but neither would the 1986 Mets, who got shut down by Bill Singer and the 1970 Dodgers; Singer tosses a 5-hit shutout and Gooden isn’t good-enough as the Dodgers roll, 5-0.  In the last game of the round, John Cumberland does even better with a 2-hit shutout against the 1988 Mariners, as the 1971 Giants move on by winning 3-0 despite a solid outing from Mark Langston.

In the semifinals, the 1968 Angels once again are the ELO underdog against the 1981 Cardinals, but apparently the Angels didn’t read the rankings as they crush Lary Sorensen for nine runs in the first two innings and cruise to a 10-1 win, with a Don Mincher homer and four RBI for Tom Satriano once again leading the way.   The second semifinal between the 1971 Giants and their rivals, the 1970 Dodgers, is much more tightly contested.  The Giants put up four runs in the 4th, led by Willie McCovey and Dick Dietz, but the Dodgers immediately tie it up in the 5th with four runs of their own driven in by Willie Davis and Wes Parker.   However, in the 5th Dave Kingman gets hold of a Pete Mikkelsen fastball for a 2-run homer, and closer Jerry Johnson hangs on for a 6-5 Giants win.

So, in the finals it is the #3 seed, NL West-winning 1971 Giants and Gaylord Perry against the spunky #8 seeded 1968 Angels with George Brunet on the mound, and both pitchers are in fine form as the game is still in a scoreless tie entering the 9th inning.  Perry retires the Angels in order in the top of the 9th, so it’s up to Brunet in the bottom of the frame.  He allows a leadoff single but then gets two quick outs, and it’s Ken Henderson at the plate.  He delivers the walk off 2-run homer and the Giants take the 2-0 win and the regional, marking the fifth regional win for the franchise and the third Giants team of the 70’s to bring the banner home.