The Cardinals take a 3 games to 1 lead in the NLCS with a 4 – 2 win over the Dodgers. Matt Holliday hits a two-run homer off Ricky Nolasco in the 3rd and Shane Robinson adds a solo shot as a pinch-hitter in the 7th. Lance Lynn wins for the second time, having won Game 1 in relief.

The Red Sox manage a single run against Justin Verlander, a solo homer by Mike Napoli in the 7th, but it is enough to defeat the Tigers, 1 – 0, in Game 3 of the ALCS. Verlander strikes out 6 straight batters in the 2nd and 3rd, tying a postseason record, but has to bow to John Lackey.

2013 – The Dodgers shut out the Cardinals, 3 – 0, to take Game 3 of the NLCS. Hyun-Jin Ryu pitches seven scoreless innings in out-dueling Adam Wainwright.

Trailing 5 – 0 in the middle of the 6th in Game 2 of the ALCS, the Red Sox mount an impressive comeback against the Tigers, highlighted by David Ortiz’s game-tying grand slam in the 8th, and a game-winning single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia which drive in Jonny Gomes in the bottom of the 9th at Fenway Park. The Series is now tied at one game each.

Anibal Sanchez becomes the second person in postseason history to strike out four batters in an inning when he whiffs Jacoby Ellsbury, Shane Victorino (who gets on base on a passed ball), David Ortiz, and Mike Napoli in the first frame of Detroit’s 1-0 ALCS victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 29 year-old right-hander, who matches Cubs right-hander Orval Overall’s total in Game 5 of the 1908 Fall Classic, is also the first Tiger hurler to accomplish the feat in franchise history, including the regular season.

For the first time in baseball history, two playoff games on the same day end with the score of 1-0. In Game One of the ALCS, the Tigers blank Boston at Fenway Park with the contest’s lone run scoring on Jhonny Peralta’s sac fly in the sixth, and Jon Jay’s fifth-inning sacrifice fly at Busch Stadium provides the only tally the Cardinals will need to take a 2-0 game advantage to Los Angeles in the NLCS.

Young Michael Wacha continues to shine for the Cardinals, this time defeating Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, 1 – 0, in Game 2 of the NLCS. The only runs scores in the 5th on a double by David Freese, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly by Jon Jay.

2013 – Carlos Beltran is the hero as the Cardinals take Game 1 of the NLCS, 3 – 2, over the Dodgers. Beltran drives in the Cards’ first two runs with a double in the 3rd, guns down Mark Ellis at the plate in the 10th, and ends the game by driving in Daniel Descalso with a single in the bottom of the 13th inning.

For the second straight year, the Tigers defeat the Athletics in the 5th game of the Division Series. The team’s two biggest stars are the heroes today, as Justin Verlander gives up no runs on 2 hits over 8 innings, while Miguel Cabrera hits a two-run homer off rookie Sonny Gray in the 4th. Joaquin Benoit picks up the save in the 3 – 0 win.

2013 – The Cardinals eliminate the resilient Pirates with a 6 – 1 win in Game 5 of the NLDS. Adam Wainwright pitches a complete game, while Matt Adams and David Freese homer for the Redbirds.