By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Between the founding of the National League in 1876, and continuing all the way until 1968, the New York/San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals made the World Series a combined 27 times; however that changed in 1969.

It was in that season, that Major League Baseball broke the American League and the National League into two divisions in each league.

Just three years into the division play, the Giants would make their first ever appearance in the National League Championship Series, where they face the National League Eastern Division Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.

After winning the first game behind starting pitcher Gaylord Perry, and two-run home runs from both Tito Fuentes and Willie McCovey, the Pirates muscled their way to three consecutive victories and defeated the Giants in four games on their way to winning World Series over the Baltimore Orioles in seven hard fought games.

It would take another 16 years for the Giants to make it back to the postseason, and standing in their way to make to the World Series for the first time in 25 years was non either then the Cardinals.

The Giants were on the brink of their first World Series since McCovey lined out to Bobby Richardson to end the 1962 World Series, but Candy Maldonado was unable to catch a Jose Oquendo flyball in right field and the Cardinals won Game Six by the final of 1-0.

Danny Cox then shutout the Giants 6-0 in Game Seven for their second National League Championship in three seasons.

Luckily, the Giants would not have wait long to return to the postseason, as they returned two years later to face the Chicago Cubs.

Will Clark got the Giants rolling in the first game, as he hit two home runs, including a grand slam, as he went 13-for-20 in the series on his way to winning the NLCS Most Valuable Player Award.

In the end, the Giants would defeat the Cubs in five games for their first National League pennant since 1962.

It would be another 13 years until the Giants made it back to the NLCS, and standing in their way was none other than the Cardinals, the same team that defeated the Giants in seven games 15 years earlier.

Benito Santiago hit a huge two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game Four off of Rick White after he walked Barry Bonds intentionally with the bases empty.

After winning Game Four on a Santiago home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, you would not think anything would top that, oh just wait.

When Kenny Lofton singled off of Cardinals reliever Steve Kline in the bottom of the ninth inning, David Bell scored from second base to send the Giants to the World Series for the first time since 1989.

Eight years later, the Giants returned to the NLCS, where they would face the two-time defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Unsung heroes like Cody Ross and Juan Uribe would help the Giants advance to the World Series for the first time in eight seasons.

Ross hit two home runs off of Roy Halladay in Game One, and then Uribe hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in Game Four to give the Giants a 3-1 series lead; however the Phillies won Game Five and sent the series back to Philadelphia.

The Giants bullpen was solid in a Game Six after Jonathan Sanchez went just two innings, as they tossed seven scoreless innings and Uribe hit an opposite field home run in the top of the eighth inning.

Tim Lincecum came on to pitch in relief for the first time in his major league career, and allowed back-to-back singles in the bottom of the eighth inning before giving way to closer Brian Wilson, who got Carlos Ruiz to line into a double play to end the threat.

After giving up walks to Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, Wilson was able to strikeout Ryan a Howard looking to send the Giants to the World Series.

Two years later, the Giants would face the Cardinals for the third time in NLCS play, after falling behind three games to one, things looked bleak for the Giants; however they would find help from an unlikely source.

Barry Zito would pitch the game of his life, as he struck out six Cardinals in Game Five at Busch Stadium and the Giants shutout the Cardinals 5-0.

Over the next two games, the Giants would out score the Cardinals 15-1 on their way to win their National League Championship in three years after trailing three games to one.

After defeating the Washington Nationals in the National League Division Series, and the Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two teams would matchup in the NLCS for the second time in three years.

In their previous three matchups in the NLCS, the Giants lead the Cardinals two series to one.