Dixie bracket: 1961 Cardinals defeat 2019 Astros in five games

Game One: Astros 10, Cardinals 2
WP: Verlander (1-0)
LP: Jackson (0-1)
Save: Peacock (2)
HR: Sawatski (2), Springer (2)

Game Two: Cardinals 12, Astros 5
WP: Anderson (1-0)
LP: Pressly (1-1)
HR: Reddick (1), White (4), Brantley (1)

Game Three: Cardinals 4, Astros 3
WP: Sadecki (2-1)
LP: Miley (0-1)
Save: McDaniel (2)
HR: Altuve (1)

Game Four: Cardinals 3, Astros 1
WP: Gibson (2-0)
LP: Sanchez (1-1)

Game Five: Cardinals 9, Astros 5
WP: Jackson (1-1)
LP: Verlander (1-1)
Save: McDaniel (3)
HR: Sawatski 2 (4), Cunningham (1), White (5), Chirinos (3)

The wild-card entrants weren't expected to make a splash in Tournament Three, but the 1961 Cardinals made one by ousting the top-seeded 2019 Astros.

Game One, in Houston's Minute Maid Park, followed the expected pattern. Justin Verlander held the Cards to two runs (a two-run homer by Carl Sawatski in the second) in six innings, and the Astros scored multiple runs in four different innings. George Springer hit a three-run homer, and Houston garnered 11 extra base hits.

Houston seemed to have Game Two under control as well. Josh Reddick clubbed a three-run homer off Curt Simmons, and Gerrit Cole handed a 3-1 lead to the bullpen after seven innings. But the first three men to face Ryan Pressley all singled. Pressly gave way to Will Harris; he faced five men and retired only one of them. Hector Rondon came in, and he eventually ended the inning -- but only after giving up four hits himself. The Cardinals batted 14 men in the eighth and scored 10 runs. They added another in the ninth and won going away.

The tied series shifted to 1961 and Busch Stadium I, aka Sportsman's Park, for Game Three. St. Louis starter Ray Sadecki struggled early -- the Astros scored single runs in three of the first four inning -- but didn't allow a hit after the fourth. The Cards scored three runs in the bottom of the third on three singles, a walk and a double, and that was enough.

Bob Gibson went the distance in Game Four, allowing an unearned run on six hits. He walked four and struck out 13, including the final three hitters of the game. Alex Grammas hit a two-run double off loser Aaron Sanchez in the second inning. 

The Cardinals wrapped up the series by barraging Verlander with longballs in Game Five. Sawatski hit a pair of solo homers, the second one coming back-to-back with a Joe Cunningham homer. Bill White hit a three-run homer in the seventh off Joe Biagini, and Stan Musial drove in two with a double in the eighth. Lindy McDaniel inherited a jam in the eighth and got out of it, and was credited with the save despite allowing two runs in the ninth.

Player availability: No bullpen issues or injuries entering Round Three

Projected rotation: Simmons-Sadecki-Gibson-Jackson-(Simmons)-(Sadecki)-(Gibson)