The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National League (NL) Division Series. The winner of the NLCS wins the NL pennant and advances to the World Series,MLB's championship series,to play the winner of the American League's (AL) Championship Series. The NLCS began in 1969 as a best-of-five playoff and used this format until 1985,when it changed to a best-of-seven format.
JoséCruz Dilan,nicknamed "Cheo",is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player,coach and baseball front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1970 to 1988,most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros.
Joaquín Andújar was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros,St. Louis Cardinals,and Oakland Athletics from 1976 through 1988. Andújar was a four-time MLB All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner.
David Earl Lopes is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. He played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Oakland Athletics,Chicago Cubs,and Houston Astros;he managed the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cecil Celester Cooper is an American former professional baseball player,coach,manager and sports agent. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1971 to 1987 for the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. Cooper was a member of the Red Sox team that won the 1975 American League pennant but he rose to prominence as a member of the Brewers,where he became a five-time American League All-Star player and a two-time American League RBI champion.
Michael Anthony Easler,nicknamed "the Hit Man",is an American former professional baseball outfielder,designated hitter,and coach,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros,California Angels,Pittsburgh Pirates,Boston Red Sox,New York Yankees,and Philadelphia Phillies,from 1973 to 1987.
Sidney Eugene Bream is an American former professional baseball first baseman. From 1983 through 1994,he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1983–85),Pittsburgh Pirates (1985–90),Atlanta Braves (1991–93),and Houston Astros (1994). He is best remembered for his game-winning run scored in the 1992 National League Championship Series (NLCS) that sent the Braves to the World Series.
Eric Kevin Bruntlett is an American former professional baseball utility player. Between 2003 and 2009,he played seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
William Henry Robinson,Jr. was an American professional baseball outfielder,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1966 to 1983,for several teams. He also played some first and third base. Robinson batted and threw right-handed.
Charles Dewayne Hayes is an American former professional baseball third baseman and former coach for the FCL Phillies. Hayes played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants,Philadelphia Phillies,New York Yankees,Colorado Rockies,Pittsburgh Pirates,Milwaukee Brewers,and Houston Astros from 1988 through 2001. He was a member of the Yankees' 1996 World Series championship team that beat the Atlanta Braves. He batted and threw right-handed.
Robert Vernon Walk,nicknamed "The Whirly Bird",is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (1980),Atlanta Braves (1981–1983),and Pittsburgh Pirates (1984–1993).
The 1976 Cincinnati Reds season was the 107th season for the franchise in Major League Baseball,and their 7th and 6th full season at Riverfront Stadium. The Reds entered the season as the reigning World Series champions. The Reds dominated the league all season and won their second consecutive National League West title with a record of 102–60,finishing ten games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the best record in baseball,they went on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS in three straight games to reach the World Series. They proceeded to win the title in four straight games over the New York Yankees. They were the third and most recent National League team to achieve this distinction,and the first since the 1921–22 New York Giants. The Reds drew 2,629,708 fans to their home games at Riverfront Stadium,an all-time franchise attendance record. As mentioned above,the Reds swept through the entire postseason with their sweeps of the Phillies and Yankees,achieving a record of 7-0. As of 2025,the Reds are the only team in baseball history to sweep through an entire postseason in the divisional era.
The 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League West by four games over the Cincinnati Reds,then beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS before losing to the Oakland Athletics in the World Series.
The 2004 Houston Astros season was the 43rd season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Houston,Texas. Five years removed from opening Minute Maid Park,the Astros hosted the All-Star Game,which was the first held in Houston since 1986. Having limped into the All-Star break with a 44–44 record,Phil Garner was named to replace Jimy Williams as manager. The Astros finished second in the National League Central and captured the NL Wild Card. The Astros won a postseason series for the first time in franchise history by defeating the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series (NLDS),scoring an NLDS-record 36 runs. Roger Clemens won the NL Cy Young Award,becoming the fourth pitcher to win the award in both leagues,and the only one with seven overall.
The 1980 Houston Astros season was the 19th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Houston,Texas.
The 1980 Major League Baseball season concluded with the Philadelphia Phillies winning their first World Series championship.
Erik Floyd Kratz is an American former professional baseball catcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Philadelphia Phillies,Toronto Blue Jays,Kansas City Royals,Houston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers,San Francisco Giants,Tampa Bay Rays,and New York Yankees during an 11-year career. Kratz was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 29th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft.
David Stearns is an American baseball executive who serves as the president of baseball operations for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served in the same role for the Milwaukee Brewers,as well as the assistant general manager of MLB's Houston Astros,worked for the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball,the Arizona Fall League,and in the baseball operations departments for the Cleveland Indians and the Mets.
The 2021 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2021 season. The winners of the Division Series advanced to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series. After the 2020 postseason,MLB returned to a 10-team playoff format following the loosening of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. This was the last postseason to feature the 10-team format,as the league expanded to a 12 team-format for the 2022 postseason.
