1994 National League Championship Series (1994 World Series)

The 1994 National League Championship Series the second round of baseball's 1994 National League playoffs, matched the wild card Houston Astros against the West Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers had the home field advantage.

The two teams were victorious in the NL Division Series (NLDS), with the Dodgers defeating the Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds three games to one, and the Astros defeating the Eastern Division champion Montreal Expos three games to one. The Dodgers won the series four games to two to become the National League champions, and lost to the American League Champion Chicago White Sox in the 1994 World Series.

This NLCS was the first NLCS since 1989 not to feature either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Pittsburgh Pirates. The two teams reigned exclusively as NL East champions from 1990 to 1993.

1994 National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers (4)	Tommy Lasorda	84-78, .519, GA: 9

Houston Astros (2)	Terry Collins	94-68, .580, GB: 1

Dates: October 11-18

MVP: Mike Piazza (Los Angeles)

Television: NBC

TV Announcers: Greg Gumbel, Joe Morgan

Radio: CBS

Radio Announcers: Jim Hunter, Jerry Coleman

Umpires: Charlie Reliford, John McSherry, Brian Gorman, Steve Rippley, Greg Bonin, Mark Hirschbeck.

NLDS

Houston Astros over Montreal Expos (3–1) Los Angeles Dodgers over Cincinnati Reds (3-1)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Houston Astros

Los Angeles won the series 4-2.

Game	Date

1 October 11	Houston Astros – 3, Los Angeles Dodgers – 6	Dodger Stadium	3:08	55,632

2 October 12	Houston Astros – 1, Los Angeles Dodgers – 4	Dodger Stadium	3:23	55,742

3 October 14	Los Angeles Dodgers – 3, Houston Astros– 5	Astrodome	2:48	51,226

4 October 15	Los Angeles Dodgers – 4, Houston Astros – 7	Astrodome	3:13	51,650

5 October 16	Los Angeles Dodgers – 6, Houston Astros – 2	Astrodome	3:21	52,463

6 October 18	Houston Astros – 3, Los Angeles Dodgers – 4	Dodger Stadium	3:10	55,887

Game 1 would be between Darryl Kile and Ramon Martinez. Los Angeles would start things off in the first inning with two runs to go up 2-0. Houston would come right back with two runs as well to make it a 2-2 game. It would mostly be a pitcher's duel up until the top half of the sixth inning, when Tony Eusebio drove in an RBI to make it 3-2 for Houston. However, in the bottom half of that inning, Mike Piazza would hit a solo home run to tie up the game again at 3-3. Brett Butler and Mike Piazza would each get an RBI to put Los Angeles up 5-3 in the seventh inning. Los Angeles would hold on to that lead through the rest of the game to get the win.

Greg Swindell would face off against Pedro Astacio in Game 2. Houston would start things off in the first inning with a solo home run by Sid Bream, and an RBI to give them a 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Los Angeles would drive in three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The back and forth trend would continue, as Houston would drive in two runs in the fourth inning to put them up 4-3. Los Angeles would take the lead for good with a two run home run by Tim Wallach that rattled the leftfield foulpole to make the score 5-4. In the eighth inning, Henry Rodriguez would also have a two run home run of his own into center field to make it a 7-4 lead for Los Angeles. Todd Worrell would come on the mound in the ninth inning to get the save.

Kevin Gross faced Doug Drabek in Game 3. Houston would get on the board first with a solo home run by James Mouton into left center field to make it 1-0. Los Angeles would get an RBI in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. Houston would have a big inning in the third, scoring three runs to take a 4-1 lead. They would also score a run in the fifth inning to make their lead 5-1. Raul Mondesi would hit a two run home run into right field to make it a 5-3 game. Houston would add on to their lead, getting a run in the sixth and seventh innings. Doug Drabek would strike out 11 batters as Houston would get their first postseason win in eight years.

Game 4 would be a matchup between Tom Candiotti and Pete Harnisch. Los Angeles would get on the board first with an RBI triple by Raul Mondesi to make it 1-0. In the third inning, Houston would get on the board with Tony Eusibio getting a two run RBI single to make it 2-1. After Los Angeles would add a run in the top half of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2, Houston would get a couple runs in the bottom half of the inning from a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch to give them a 4-2 lead. Luis Gonzalez would get an two run RBI single in the sixth inning to give Houston a 6-2 lead. In the eighth inning, Gonzalez would drive in another run to make it 7-2. Houston would close it out in the ninth to make it a 2-2 Series.

Game 5 would be a rematch of the starters of Game 2, which were Greg Swindell and Pedro Astacio. Los Angeles would get on the board in the first inning with a run to take a 1-0 lead. Houston would get two runs in the second to take a 2-1 lead. Los Angeles would get back to back home runs in the third inning to retake the lead, with a two run home run by Delino DeShields, and a solo home run by Brett Butler to make it a 4-2 game. They would add a run each in the fifth and eighth innings to help give Los Angeles a 6-2 win.

In Game 6, Doug Drabek would again face Kevin Gross in a rematch of Game 3. Los Angeles would get on the board first in the second inning with a run to take an early 1-0 lead. They would add on to that lead in the third inning with a Mike Piazza two run home run to center field to make it 3-0. Houston would get a couple runs in the fifth inning from a bases loaded walk, and an RBI by Sid Bream to make it a 3-2 game. Los Angeles would load the bases in the sixth inning, as Henry Rodriguez hit a groundball and beat the throw at first base to avoid a double play, and drive in a run to make it a 4-2 game. Houston would add a run in the seventh inning to make it a 4-3 game, but Sid Bream grounded into a double play later that inning. Todd Worrell would get the save in the ninth inning to win the pennant for Los Angeles. Mike Piazza would be named the MVP of the series. This would be the last time that Los Angeles won a postseason series until the 2008 NLDS. To date, this is the most recent pennant won by Los Angeles.