NATS HOLD OFF CARDS TO COMPLETE SWEEP FOR FIRST NL PENNANT AND WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE

At Washington:

With Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto delivering runs batted in and pitcher Patrick Corbin striking out 12 batters, the Washington Nationals, who scored seven runs in the first inning on Tuesday, held off the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 at home in game four of the National League Championship Series as the Nats swept the Redbirds in four straight games for their first league pennant in their 51-year history (the former Montreal Expos franchise moved to DC prior to the 2005 season).

The Nationals will make their first-ever World Series appearance, the first Fall Classic appearance for a Washington-based club since the American League's original Senators (now the Minnesota Twins) fell to the then-New York Giants in five games in 1933.

Those same Senators produced the city's lone World Series championship in 1924 when they defeated the Giants four games to three.

The Seattle Mariners are now the only active Major League Baseball club to have never reached the World Series.

MLB Playoffs: Nats Handcuff Cards Again To Take 2-0 NLCS Lead

At St. Louis:

Max Scherzer pitched a no-hitter into the seventh inning as he struck out eleven batters while Adam Eaton (double) and Michael Taylor (homer) each batted in a run as the Washington Nationals stretched their National League Championship Series lead to two games to none on Saturday following their 3-1 game-two road win over the Cardinals.

The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright also struck out eleven batters but turned out to be the hard-luck loser.

MLB Playoffs: Anibal Sanchez Carries No-No Into Eighth Innings, Nats Open NLCS By Blanking Cards In St. Louis

At St. Louis:

Anibal Sanchez carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning while Howie Kendrick and Yan Gomes each delivered a run-scoring double on Friday as the Washington Nationals blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on the road in the opening game of the National League Championship Series.

Relief man Sean Doolittle retired the last four batters as he and the aforementioned Mr. Sanchez combined on a one-hit shutout.

NCLS: TRAVIS ISHIKAWA'S WALK-OFF THREE-RUN HOMER SENDS GIANTS TO THIRD WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE IN FIVE YEARS; MADISON BUMGARNER NAMED SERIES MVP

At San Francisco:

After Michael Morse (batting for starting pitcher---and series Most Valuable Player---Madison Bumgarner) equalized the game with his eighth-inning lead-off pinch-hit homer, Travis Ishikawa, in the ninth inning, crushed a walk-off three-run shot (the first game-ending home run in National League Championship Series history) as the San Francisco Giants locked up their third National League pennant in the last five years with their 6-3 championship series game-five home win on Thursday over the St. Louis Cardinals and took the series four games to one.

The Giants will face the Kansas City Royals in the World Series, which starts on Tuesday night in Kansas City.

NCLS: Giants Overcome Three-Run Deficit With Five Runs In Fifth And Sixth Innings, Beat Cards 6-4, Take 3-1 Series Lead; Can Close Out Series With Home Win In Game Five

At San Francisco:

Buster Posey drove in three runs on Wednesday night as the San Francisco Giants came back from a 4-1 deficit with three runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to upend the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 in game four of the National League Championship Series.

The Giants, who now hold a three-games-to-one lead in the series, can wrap up their third National League pennant and trip to the World Series in the last five years with a game-five home victory on Thursday.

NLCS: Tenth-Inning Defensive Boo-Boo Allows Brandon Crawford To Score Winning Run, Give Giants 2-1 Series Lead Over Cardinals

At San Francisco:

An errant tenth-inning throw from relief pitcher Randy Choate on a bunt allowed Brandon Crawford to score the winning run as the San Francisco Giants recovered from blowing a four-run lead and defeated the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 in game three of the National League Championship series on Tuesday as the Giants now hold a two-games-to-one series lead.

NCLS: Cardinals Pull Out Late Win Over Giants, Square Series At One Game Apiece

At St. Louis:

Kolton Wong delivered a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday as the St. Louis Cardinals squared the National League Championship Series at one game apiece with a 5-4 game-two home win over the San Francisco Giants.

The series will resume in San Francisco on Tuesday.

NLCS: Solid Pitching From Madison Bumgarner Helps Giants Grab Series Opener In St. Louis

At St. Louis:

Madison Bumgarner pitched 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball and the bullpen did the rest as the San Francisco Giants took the opening game of the best-of-seven National League Championship series 3-0 over the St. Louis Cardinals on the road Saturday.  Pablo Sandoval had three hits and scored a run for the Giants.

RED SOX SMOTHER CARDINALS, WIN THIRD WORLD SERIES TITLE IN TEN YEARS; CLINCH WS TITLE AT HOME FOR FIRST TIME SINCE '18; BIG PAPI NAMED SERIES MVP

At Boston:

Shane Victorino delivered a three-run double of the Green Monster as the Boston Red Sox dominated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 on Wednesday night to win game six of the World Series and capture their third world championship in the last ten years four games to one.  It marked the first time in 95 years that the Red Sox locked up the World Series title at Fenway Park.  David Ortiz was named the series' Most Valuable Player. During the Series, Big Papi, the only remaining member of Boston's 2004 World Series championship team (their first since 1918), batted .688 (11 for 16), hit two homers, delivered six runs batted in and received eight walks---four in Wednesday's finale.  Here's Boston relief pitcher Koji Uehara celebrating with catcher David Ross after striking out the Cardinals' Matt Carpenter to end the game and the series.

USA Today photo

2013 World Series: Red Sox Top Cards In St. Louis, Take 3-2 Series Lead; Have Two Shots Of Wrapping Up Series At Fenway

At St. Louis:

Jon Lester and relief pitching surrendered only four base hits, and David Ross hit a tiebreaking RBI double in a two-run seventh inning as the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 in Monday's fifth game of the World Series.  The Red Sox, who lead the series three games to two, have two chances to wrap up the World Series title (their first since 2007) at home at Fenway Park for the first time since 1918, starting with game #6 on Wednesday night.

2013 World Series: Jonny Gomes Delivers The Runs That Square Series At Two Games Apiece For BoSox

At St. Louis:

Jonny Gomes (that's him greeting David Ortiz at home plate)hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning on Sunday night as the Boston Red Sox squared the World Series at two games apiece following their 4-2 game-four road win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sports Illustrated photo by David E. Klutho

World Series: Obstruction Call Helps Cards Win Game Three And Take 2-1 Series Advantage

At St. Louis:

Pinch-hitter Allen Craig scored the winning run from third base on an obstruction call when Will Middlebrooks (that's him and teammate Dustin Pedroia arguing with umpires) kicked both legs up to try to prevent him from coming home after catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia's bad throw as the St. Louis Cardinals took a two-games-to-one lead in the World Series after Saturday's wild 5-4 game-three win over the visiting Boston Red Sox.

USATSI photo

2013 World Series: Cardinals Square Series At One Game Apiece

At Boston:

Matt Carpenter hit a sacrifice fly that led to a pair of runs, then Carlos Beltran hit an RBI single to cap off a three-run seventh inning on Thursday as the St. Louis Cardinals took advantage of two Boston Red Sox errors in the aforementioned seventh inning and squared the World Series at a game apiece following their 4-2 game-two road victory.  That's the Cardinals' Matt Holiday scoring in the seventh inning being shown here.

Sports Illustrated photo by Chuck Solomon

2013 World Series: Red Sox Massacre Sloppy Cardinals In Series Opener

At Boston:

Mike Napoli (that's him and his teammates celebrating) delivered a first-inning three-run double and David Ortiz whacked a two-run homer while Jon Lester pitched 7 2/3 innings of five-hit, one-walk, eight-strikeout shutout baseball as the Boston Red Sox ran all over the visiting error-plagued St. Louis Cardinals 8-1 in Wednesday opening game of the World Series.

USATSI Photo

CARDINALS DEMOLISH DODGERS, WIN 19TH NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT

At St. Louis:

Michael Wacha put on another brilliant pitching performance (seven innings of two-hit, one-walk, five-strikeout shutout baseball) as he once again outpitched Clayton Kershaw while Carlos Beltran delivered an RBI single during a four-run third inning as the St. Louis Cardinals demolished the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 9-0 on Friday to win the National League Championship Series four games to two.  This marked the Cardinals' 19th National League pennant and they will gun for their second World Series title in three years as they open the Fall Classic this coming Wednesday at Boston or Detroit (the Red Sox have a chance to finish off the Tigers at home on Saturday in game six of the American League Championship Series).  The Cardinals have won two of their three previous World Series each against Boston and Detroit.

National League Championship Series: Two Homers For Adrian Gonzalez Keep Dodgers In Series, Which Moves Now To St. Louis

At Los Angeles:

Adrian Gonzalez homered twice on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 to cut the visitors' lead in the National League Championship Series to three games to two.  The Cardinals can still lock up the National League pennant with a game-six win back home in St. Louis on Friday.

National League Championship Series: Cardinals Double Up Dodgers; One Win Away From World Series

At Los Angeles:

Matt Holliday and pinch-hitter Shane Robinson hit the first home runs of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday as the St. Louis Cardinals doubled-up the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on the road in game four for a three-games-to-one series lead.  The Cardinals can wrap up the National League title with a game-five win in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

National League Championship Series: Dodgers Turn Tables On Cardinals, Blank St. Louis At Home, Cut Series Deficit To 2-1

At Los Angeles:

Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched seven innings of three-hit ball as he outgunned Adam Wainwright while Adrian Gonzalez delivered an RBI double as the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in game three of the National League Championship Series on Monday.  The Cardinals still lead the series two games to one.

National League Championship Series: Michael Wacha Outduels Clayton Kershaw As Cardinals Take 2-0 Series Lead To LA

At St. Louis:

Michael Wacha pitched 6 2/3 innings of eight-strikeout shutout ball and John Jay's run-scoring fifth-inning sacrifice fly held up as the St. Louis Cardinals held off the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 on Saturday to take a two-games-to-none National League Championship Series lead.  The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw pitched six innings and surrendered only two hits and one walk but still was tagged with the loss.  The series resumes in Los Angeles on Monday.

National League Championship Series: Carlos Beltran Delivers All Three Runs As Cards Top Dodgers In Series-Opening 13-Inning Thriller

At St. Louis:

Carlos Beltran  hit a two-run RBI double in the third inning, then delivered the game-winning single in the 13th as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in Friday's opening game of the National League Championship Series.