Phillies' National League Division Series history
For the third straight Red October, the Phillies are in the National League Division Series. They’ve won five series and lost three. All but one have had games at Citizens Bank Park.
MLB added the best-of-5 Division Series in 1995, three division winners and one Wild Card entry. In 2012 a second Wild Card per league was added. The two played a one-game playoff with the winner advancing into the DS. Two additional Wild Cards were added to last year’s playoff format. The Phillies were the sixth and final WC entry. They advanced to the DS by beating St. Louis in the first ever best-of-3 Wild Card Series, 2-0.
The Phils were also one of four teams in sort of a makeshift Division Series in 1981. A 55-game player strike interrupted that season in June. When baseball returned in August, MLB decided to have a first and second-half winner in each league. Leading the East at the time of the strike put the Phillies in the DS, playing the second-half winners, Montreal Expos.
Coming off their first World Championship the Phillies were favored to repeat. But the Expos prevailed in the best-of 5 DS, clinching on the same Veterans Stadium field where the Phillies celebrated the previous October.
1981 First-half champs (34-21) vs. second-half champs Expos (30-23) . . . DS (Expos 3, Phillies 2)
October 7, in Montreal, Expos win, 3-1. Keith Moreland has three of Phillies 10 hits. WP: Steve Rogers. LP: Steve Carlton.
October 8, Gary Carter’s two-run homer in the Expos’ third inning produces a second straight 3-1 final.
October 9, in Philly, 6-2 Phillies winners on 13 hits (11 singles). Gary Matthews, 3-4. WP: Larry Christenson.
October 10, George Vukovich hits solo, walk-off homer in bottom of the 10th, 6-5. Remains lone walk-off HR in Phillies postseason history.
October 11, Expos clinch as Steve Rogers out-duels Carlton and drives in 2 runs, 6-0.
2007 NL East champs (89-73) vs. Wild Card Rockies (90-73) . . . DS (Rockies 3, Phillies 0)
October 3, in Philly, Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell hit back-to-back homers but the Rockies prevail, 4-2, in first Citizens Bank Park postseason game.
October 4, Kazuo Matsui’s two-out grand slam in the fourth inning leads Rockies to 10-5 win.
October 5, in Denver, after a game-tying homer by Shane Victorino in the seventh inning, the Rockies win, 2-1, on three straight two-out singles in their eighth. Manny Corpas saves each game.
2008 NL East champs (92-70) vs. Wild Card Brewers (90-72) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Brewers 1)
October 1, in Philly, Cole Hames retires first 14 batters as Phillies win, 3-1; first postseason win in 15 years.
October 2, Brett Myers’ nine-pitch walk is followed by Shane Victorino’s grand slam in second inning. 5-2 final.
October 4, in Milwaukee. Brewers win, 4-1, their first postseason home game since 1982.
October 5, Jimmy Rollins leads off the game a homer. Pat Burrell belts two, Jayson Werth, one, in 6-2 clinching win.
2009 NL East champs (93-69) vs. Wild Card Rockies (92-70) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Rockies 1)
October 7, in Philly, Cliff Lee tosses ninth postseason complete game in franchise history, 5-1.
October 8, trailing 4-0 in fifth inning, Phillies rally but fall short, 5-4.
October 11, in Denver, Ryan Howard’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly drives in winning run, 6-5. Game time temperature, 35 degrees.
October 12, down 4-2 in top of ninth, Howard ties the game with a two-run double and scores winning run as Jayson Werth follows with a single. 5-4 final.
2010 NL East champs (97-65) vs. Central champ Reds (91-71) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Reds 0)
October 6, in Philly, in his first postseason appearance, Roy Halladay no-hits the Reds, 4-0. Phillies seventh straight Game 1 win of a postseason series.
October 8, down 4-0 in the fifth inning, Phillies take advantage of errors scoring game’s final 7 runs, 7-4. Combined six errors sets DS record.
October 10, in Cincinnati, Cole Hamels tosses third postseason shutout in franchise history, 2-0. Chase Utley hits franchise record 10th postseason HR.
2011 NL East champs (102-60) vs. Wild Card Cardinals (90-72) . . . DS (Cardinals 3, Phillies 2)
October 1, in Philly, Ryan Howard’s go-ahead three-run homer in a five-run fifth inning paves the way for 11-6 win. Roy Halladay retires last 21 batters; gives up three runs in the first.
October 2, trailing 4-0 to Cliff Lee after two innings, Cardinals rally for 5-4 win.
October 4, in St. Louis, PH Ben Francisco’ three-run homer in seventh inning, Cole Hamels’ six scoreless innings and Ryan Madson’s two-inning save, 3-0 win.
October 5, two-run first inning is followed by only one more run as Cardinals come from behind, 5-3.
October 7, Chris Carpenter makes a first-running run stand up, holding the Phillies to three hits, 1-0. Last batter Ryan Howard crumbles to the ground with a torn Achilles tendon.
2022 NL East champ Braves (101-61) vs. Wild Card Phillies (87-75) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Braves 1)
October 11, in Atlanta, Nick Castellano drives in three runs and makes a game-saving catch in bottom of the ninth, 7-6 win.
October 12, Braves even series as four pitchers combine for 3-0 win.
October 14, in Philly, first home postseason game in 11 years. Rhys Hoskins’ three-run homer (photo) keys a five-run explosion in the third inning off Spencer Strider. Bryce Harper caps explosion with two-run homer off lefty reliever. Aaron Nola, no earned runs in six innings.
October 15, Brandon Marsh’s three-run in the second inning starts the offense. J.T. Realmuto adds an inside the park homer, a postseason first in franchise history. Harper hits second homer. Six Phillies pitchers hold Braves to three solo homers in 8-3 romp before 45,538 raucous CBP fans.
2023 NL East champ Braves (104-58) vs. Wild Card Phillies (90-72) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Braves 1)
October 7, at Atlanta. Seven Phillies pitchers combine to blank the Braves on five singles, 3-0, before the largest crowd (43,689) in Truist Park history.
October 9. The Braves rally from a 4-0 deficit for a 5-4 win. CF Michael Harris II makes a brilliant catch against RCF wall and turns it into a game-ending double play. Zack Wheeler struck out 10 in a no decision.
October 11, Citizens Bank Park. For the second straight year in Game 3, the Phillies explode for six runs in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Castellano has a solo home run, Brye Harper blasts a monster three-run double and J.T. Realmuto doubles in final two runs. 10-2 final. Aaron Nola and four relievers silenced the Braves.
October 12. Phillies advance to the League Championship Series with a 3-1 win over Spencer Strider who gave up three solo homers. Castellano is the first player in postseason history with back-to-back two homer games. Trea Turner ads a third homer. Ranger Suarez, Seranthony Dominguez, Jose Alvarado, Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto and Matt Strahm combine to hold the high-powered Braves offense to one run.