The ALCS and NLCS, since the expansion to best-of-seven, are always played in a 2 – 3 – 2 format: Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 are played in the stadium of the team that has home field advantage, and Games 3, 4, and 5 are played in the stadium of the team that does not.

He also broadcasts the World Series and either the ALCS or NLCS for MLB International, where he is teamed with Gary Thorne.

( However, if Fox is scheduled to broadcast the NLCS and the ALCS series is a showdown between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, then MLB will move the ALCS to Fox ).

While the NLCS was an exciting back-and-forth series, it was overshadowed in media attention by Boston's comeback in the ALCS.

The Yankees had reached the Fall Classic after their ALCS victory over the Baltimore Orioles, while the Braves had rallied from a 3 – 1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.

It is played by the winners of the National League Championship Series ( NLCS ) and the American League Championship Series ( ALCS ).

With a new MLB TV contract signed, again excluding FX, the last such broadcast was scheduled for October 11, 2006, but that night's NLCS game between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets was rained out, making the Detroit Tigers-Oakland Athletics game in the ALCS a national broadcast ; FX aired the movie Any Given Sunday instead.

Both series were played on October 13, but Fox showed both games, with the ALCS during the day and the NLCS at night.

In 2008, the Phillies clinched their second straight division title and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the Division Series to record the franchise's first post-season victory since winning the 1993 NLCS.

The team continued this run of success with wins over the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS ( 3 games to 1 ) and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS ( 4 games to 1 ), to become the first Phillies team to win back-to-back pennants and the first National League team since the 1996 Atlanta Braves to have an opportunity to defend their World Series title.

Ever since the 2010 NLCS, the Giants have had a rivalry with the Philadelphia Philles after a confrontation between Jonathon Sanchez and Chase Utley, and another between Ramon Ramirez and Shane Victorino.

In the 1984 NLCS, the Padres faced the NL East champion Chicago Cubs, who were making their first post-season appearance since 1945 and featured NL Most Valuable Player Ryne Sandberg and Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe.

In the decisive Game 7, Wood hit the first home run by a pitcher in a NLCS game since another Cub, Rick Sutcliffe, did so in Game 1 in 1984.

He added a. 353 average and 2 homers in the NLCS to help the team to its first World Series appearance since 1962.

The Cardinals won the series in seven games, advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1987, and Pujols was named the NLCS MVP after batting. 500 with four home runs and nine RBIs.

In 1981, and since 1995, the two annual series have matched up the winners of the Division Series, and the winners advance to meet in the World Series. 2008 National League Championship Series | NLCS 2008 Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies played at Dodger Stadium

After defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 1, in the National League Division Series, and the Houston Astros, 4 games to 3, in the NLCS, they went to the World Series for the first time since 1987, where they played the Boston Red Sox, but were swept.

The Padres tied the game in the fifth when Tony Gwynn, appearing in his first NLCS since 1984, hit an RBI single.

In the Giants ' match-up with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2002 NLCS, Lofton delivered a key hit to help the Giants win their first pennant since 1989.

* The Chicago Cubs just missed advancing to their first World Series since 1945, as they blew a 3 games to 1 lead against the Marlins in the 2003 NLCS.

In the NLCS, the NL East champion Chicago Cubs – making their first postseason appearance since 1945 – won Games 1 and 2, but Williams ' Padres took the next three games in a miraculous comeback to win the pennant.

Arizona had postseason victories over the St. Louis Cardinals ( 3 – 2 in the NLDS ) and the Atlanta Braves ( 4 – 1 in the NLCS ) to advance to the World Series where, in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City, they beat the three-time reigning champions, the New York Yankees, 4 to 3, to become the youngest expansion franchise to win the World Series ( in just their fourth season of play ).

The winners of that round advance to the best-of-seven NLCS.

The two series winners move on to the best-of-seven NLCS.

Facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the now best-of-seven NLCS, a split of the first four games set the stage for Game 5 at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals reached the World Series by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-five National League Division Series, and the Houston Astros in the best-of-seven Championship Series ( NLCS ).

The Houston Astros defeated the Cardinals in the 2005 NLCS in the last game ever played at Busch Stadium.

Bowa batted. 333 in a losing cause in the 1978 NLCS, but played an even greater role in 1980, hitting. 316 in the NLCS and. 375 in the World Series as the Phillies captured the first title in franchise history.

The National League Championship Series ( NLCS ) was a Major League Baseball playoff series played from October 13 to 21 to determine the champion of the National League, between the Central Division champion St. Louis Cardinals and the wild-card qualifying Houston Astros.

The National League Championship Series ( NLCS ), to determine the champion of Major League Baseball's National League, was played from October 7 to October 14 between the East Division champion Atlanta Braves and the West Division champion San Diego Padres.

The following season, he played on a Cubs team that held a three-run lead in the eighth inning of Game Six of the 2003 NLCS.

He also hit 17 twice ( 1978 and 1983 ), appeared in four consecutive All-Star games from 1978 – 81, played in one Division Series, six NLCS and four World Series, including as a member of the 1981 World Champion Dodgers.

In the deciding Game 5 of the NLCS at Olympic Stadium in Montreal ( played on a Monday afternoon due to an earlier rain-out ), he smashed a two-out ninth-inning home run off the Expos ' Steve Rogers that proved to be the difference in a 2 – 1 Dodgers victory.

In the NLCS versus the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals won 2 of the three games they played at home ( Games 3, 4, 5 ).

* Brad Penny ( 2000 – 2004 ) — In 2003, Penny collected the win in Florida's NLCS clinching victory over the Chicago Cubs and in the World Series against the New York Yankees he went 2 – 0 with a 2. 19 ERA in his two starts.

In a memorable NLCS, with four of the five games going into extra innings, they fell behind 2 – 1 but battled back to squeeze past the Houston Astros on a tenth-inning, game-winning hit by center fielder Garry Maddox, and the city celebrated its first pennant in 30 years.

In Game Six, the Giants beat Philadelphia by a final score of 3 – 2, to win the NLCS 4 – 2 and advance to face the Texas Rangers in the 2010 World Series.

The Reds ended up losing the game, 7 – 2, and the NLCS, 3 – 2, despite Rose ’ s. 381 batting average in the series, and his eighth-inning home run to tie Game One and his 12th-inning home run to win Game Four.

In the 1980 NLCS versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan pitched well in Game 2, leaving the game tied 2 – 2 in the seventh ( having contributed to both Astros runs with a run scored following a walk, and a sacrifice bunt leading to a run ) but again got a no decision in a game that went extra innings.

A bruised rib cage limited his play in the 1971 NLCS, his only postseason appearance ; he was a late-inning replacement for rookie Dave Kingman in Game 1, and did not play in Game 2 before starting the final two games, batting 2-for-8 in the series.

On October 2, 1984, he started the first game of the NLCS against the San Diego Padres, giving up two hits and no runs, not only gaining the victory, but also hitting a home run in the third inning.

He then pitched 10 shutout innings in Game 3 of the NLCS and the Astros won 1 – 0, though they lost the series to the Philadelphia Phillies, 3 – 2.

He went 22 – 6 with a 2. 76 ERA in 1990 en route to winning the National League Cy Young Award and leading the Pirates to the postseason ( where they lost in the NLCS to the Cincinnati Reds ).

In Game 2 of the NLCS against the Astros, he had three hits, including a game-winning home run against Miceli, as the Cardinals won 6 – 4.

In the 1998 NLCS against the San Diego Padres, Jones batted. 273 with a home run and 2 RBIs.

He was not as successful however in the NLCS versus St. Louis surrendering four runs in 4. 2 innings in Game 3 of that series.