2013 National League Championship Series
Team (Wins) Managers Season St. Louis Cardinals (4) Mike Matheny 97–65, .599, GA: 3 Los Angeles Dodgers (2) Don Mattingly 92–70, .568, GA: 11
Dates	October 11–18
MVP	Michael Wacha (St. Louis)
Umpires	Gerry Davis (crew chief),Mark Carlson,Mike Everitt,Bruce Dreckman,Ted Barrett,Greg Gibson
Broadcast
Television	TBS MLB International
TV announcers	Ernie Johnson,Ron Darling,Cal Ripken Jr., andCraig Sager (TBS) Gary Thorne andRick Sutcliffe (MLB International)
Radio	ESPN
Radio announcers	Dan Shulman andOrel Hershiser
NLDS	St. Louis Cardinals overPittsburgh Pirates (3–2) Los Angeles Dodgers overAtlanta Braves (3–1)
← 2012 NLCS 2014 →

The2013 National League Championship Series, the 44thNLCS, was abest-of-seven playoff inMajor League Baseball’s2013 postseason pitting the top-seededSt. Louis Cardinals against the third-seededLos Angeles Dodgers forMajor League Baseball's National League pennant. The Cardinals beat the Dodgers in six games.

This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Cardinals and Dodgers, after the1985 NLCS (Cardinals won 4–2),2004 NLDS (Cardinals won 3–1), and2009 NLDS (Dodgers won 3–0).

The Cardinals would go on to lose to theBoston Red Sox in the2013 World Series in six games.

As of 2025, this is the last time the Cardinals won the NL pennant.

St. Louis won the series, 4–2.

Things got off to a rough start for Los Angeles whenHanley Ramirez was hit in the ribs by a 95-mphJoe Kelly fastball, which impacted his ability for the remainder of the series.^[8] The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs off of Joe Kelly on a double and two walks in the third inning whenJuan Uribe's single scored two, but in the bottom of the inning,Zack Greinke allowed a two-out single to Kelly and walkedMatt Carpenter before both men scored onCarlos Beltrán's double tying the game. Greinke allowed only two runs in eight innings, while striking out a season high ten batters, the first pitcher to strike out ten Cardinals in a post-season game sinceDenny Galehouse in the1944 World Series.^[9] The game went into extra innings and in the top of the tenth,Mark Ellis tripled with one out and tried to score onMichael Young's sacrifice fly, but was thrown out by Beltran to end the inning. In the bottom of the 13th, Beltran drove in the winning run with a line drive into the right-field corner that scoredDaniel Descalso from second off ofKenley Jansen. The game was the third longest NLCS game ever (after game six in1986 and game five in1999), the Dodgers' longest post-season game since game two of the1916 World Series and the Cardinals' longest ever. It was the longest NLCS Game 1 ever.^[10]

The Dodgers' offense was short-handed in game two becauseHanley Ramírez sat out with injured ribs, the result of getting hit with a pitch in game one, and withAndre Ethier getting a day off for playing the entirety of Game 1's 13-inning affair. The game was a pitchers' duel as the Cardinals only got two hits off ofClayton Kershaw and two relievers.Jon Jay's sacrifice fly scoredDavid Freese (after he doubled to lead off the inning) for the game's only run, in the bottom of the fifth. Due to apassed ball, Freese's run was unearned. The Dodgers managed five hits offMichael Wacha but were unable to get any runs. They loaded the bases in the sixth inning with one out, but Wacha struck outYasiel Puig andJuan Uribe to end the threat.Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side (Puig, Uribe, and pinch hitter Ethier) in the ninth inning for the save and the Dodgers fell behind 2–0 in the series. Kershaw was the first starting pitcher in postseason history to allow no earned runs and two or fewer hits and lose the game.^[12]

In Game 3,Hyun-jin Ryu pitched seven shutout innings and the Dodgers managed to score offAdam Wainwright to take the game 3–0. In the fourth,Mark Ellis hit a leadoff double, then scored onAdrián González's double one out later. González then scored onYasiel Puig's triple, his first hit of the series, after 11 hitless at-bats.Hanley Ramírez had two hits and an RBI single in the seventh in his return to the Dodgers lineup, despite a fractured rib.^[13] It was the first postseason series since the1948 World Series in which neither team hit a home run in the first three games.^[14]

Ramirez was still hobbled by the rib injury and struggled at the plate and in the field before leaving the game in the sixth inning. In the third,Daniel Descalso hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, then scored onMatt Carpenter's double. One out later,Matt Holliday's home run, the first of the series, put the Cardinals up 3−0. The Dodgers cut the lead to 3–2 on RBI singles byYasiel Puig andA.J. Ellis off ofLance Lynn, butShane Robinson's home run in the seventh off ofJ.P. Howell padded the Cardinals' lead to 4−2 as they took a commanding 3–1 series lead.^[15]

The Dodgers staved off elimination in Game 5 asZack Greinke pitched seven strong innings and the bats came alive. In the second, the Dodgers hit four singles off ofJoe Kelly, the last two of which byJuan Uribe and Greinke scored a run each. The Cardinals tied the game in the third whenMatt Carpenter singled, then scored onCarlos Beltrán's triple before Beltran scored onMatt Holliday's double.Adrián González's home run in the bottom of the inning put the Dodgers up 3−2. They added to their lead on home runs byCarl Crawford in the fifth,A. J. Ellis in the seventh off ofEdward Mujica and González in the eighth off ofJohn Axford. The four homers tied a Dodger post-season record that had previously been accomplished in Game 2 of the1977 World Series and Game 1 of the1978 NLCS.^[16]The Cardinals managed two runs offKenley Jansen in the ninth on RBI singles byMatt Adams andPete Kozma, but the Dodgers held on to win 6–4 and send the series back to St. Louis.^[17]

Hoping to force a game seven, theDodgers sent their aceClayton Kershaw to the mound to face theSt. Louis Cardinals rookieMichael Wacha in a rematch of Game two's matchup. This time, Kershaw had his worst outing of the season, as he struggled through the third inning with 48 total pitches and surrendered a total of seven earned runs, ten hits, and two walks in four innings of work.^[18] Dodgers phenomYasiel Puig committed two costly throwing errors that epitomized the frustration of that night. By contrast, Michael Wacha, backed up by solid defense and timely hits, stymied the Dodgers' offense, going seven innings and allowing just two hits and no runs.

The Cardinals scored in the third inning whenMatt Carpenter lined a double into right field after an 11-pitch battle with Kershaw.Carlos Beltrán scored Carpenter from second with a line drive single, again to right field, and advanced to second. Kershaw struck outMatt Holliday but yielded another single toYadier Molina, which scored Beltran from second to make it 2–0 Cardinals.David Freese singled to center field to move Molina to second and Kershaw, already having an uncharacteristic night, walkedMatt Adams to load the bases forShane Robinson. Robinson drove in two runs with a single to rightPuig, extending the Cardinals' lead to 4–0. Puig committed a throwing error by tossing the ball on a misstep and slinging it all the way to backstop over the head of catcherA.J. Ellis. Kershaw ended the inning by intentionally walkingPete Kozma and striking out Wacha.

The Cardinals added five runs in the fifth inning. Molina singled to right field and reached second base on Puig's second throwing error of the night.David Freese singled to advance Molina to third base and Adams drove him home with a double in to make it 5–0 Cardinals. Kershaw left the game with runners on second and third after throwing 98 pitches and was replaced by relieverRonald Belisario. Shane Robinson came up to the plate and reached second base on a choice out by shortstopHanley Ramírez to catcher A.J. Ellis, who tagged out David Freese in a rundown between third and home. With runners still on second and third, Kozma was intentionally walked for the second time that night. Then Wacha hit Belisario's pitch and reached first base on a fielder's choice by second basemanMark Ellis, who allowed Matt Adams to score after hesitating on a throw to home, making the score 6–0 Cardinals. Belisario was replaced by relief pitcherJ.P. Howell, who allowed Robinson and Kozma to score on a sacrifice fly by Carpenter and a wild pitch to Molina respectively, stretching the lead to 8–0. Carlos Beltran closed the door on the Dodgers' postseason by singling to left field and scoring Wacha for the final run of the game, giving the Cardinals a commanding 9–0 lead. The Dodgers had one more hit, a double by catcher A.J. Ellis. The Cardinals pitching staff retired the next 12 batters to end the game.

Winning pitcher Michael Wacha was named the NLCS MVP after winning both of his starts with a 0.00 ERA, holding the Dodgers to a .149batting average against (BAA), two walks and 13 SO in13+2⁄3 scoreless IP. He became the fourth rookie to win a postseason series MVP award, followingLarry Sherry (1959 World Series),Mike Boddicker (1983 NLCS), andLiván Hernández (1997 NLCS and1997 World Series).^[19][20]

The victory earned the Cardinals their 19th pennant as a franchise and their secondWorld Series appearance in three years.

2013 NLCS(4–2):St. Louis Cardinals overLos Angeles Dodgers

Days after their NLCS defeat, Dodgers general managerNed Colletti and managerDon Mattingly held a joint press conference, in which Mattingly's job status was discussed. The press conference proved to be awkward and disjointed, as both Colletti and Mattingly seemed at odds Mattingly's contract status. After the season, Mattingly called out Dodger management for its perceived lack of support of him during the season and said that he wanted a multiyear contract in place to return in2014.^[21][22][23] In 2013, when the Dodgers stumbled to start the season, falling to last place in the NL West while injuries piled up, speculation was rampant that Mattingly would be fired. Team PresidentStan Kasten indicated to him at the time that things needed to improve for Mattingly to keep his job. The team responded, winning 42 of 50 games during a torrid midseason stretch to take over first place and eventually won the division by 11 games over Arizona. Ironically, it was Colletti who was removed from his position first when the team brought in Tampa Bay's general managerAndrew Friedman to oversee Baseball Operations after the 2014 season. Colletti took the demotion and stayed with the team until taking a scouting job with theNHL'sSan Jose Sharks in September 2019. Mattingly did end up receiving a three-year extension before the start of the 2014 season, but he never completed the contract as the Dodgers and Mattingly mutually parted after the2015 postseason and was replaced byDave Roberts. After leaving LA, Mattingly managed theMiami Marlins from 2016-2022.^[24]

The Cardinals and Dodgers met again during the2014 National League Division Series with the Cardinals winning again and getting the better of 2013-2014Cy Young Award and 2014Most Valuable Player winnerClayton Kershaw. Between the 2013 National League Championship Series and the2014 National League Division Series, the Cardinals beat Kershaw in all four of his starts.

Hanley Ramirez andJoe Kelly would eventually become teammates in Boston after Ramirez signed a free agent contract with theRed Sox during the 2014-2015 off-season (Kelly had been traded to Boston at the previous season's trade deadline). The 95-mph pitch from Kelly in the first inning of game one fractured Ramirez's rib and turned the entire series on its head. Kelly eventually became a Dodger in 2019 and even became a fan favorite, winning a World Series with them in 2020 and 2024.^[25]David Freese andMark Ellis would both later play for the NLCS-opposition, with Freese reaching another World Series with the Dodgers in2018.

The two teams met again in the postseason in the2021 National League Wild Card Game, with the Dodgers winning in the ninth on a two-runChris Taylor walk-off home run.^[26]

• 2013 National League Championship Series atBaseball Reference

• 2013 Major League Baseball season
• National League Championship Series
• Los Angeles Dodgers postseason
• St. Louis Cardinals postseason
• 2013 in sports in Missouri
• 2013 in sports in Los Angeles
• 2010s in St. Louis
• October 2013 sports events in the United States

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from November 2013