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Typically, the wild-card team plays the division leader with the best winning percentage in one series, and the other two division leaders play the other series. However, if the wild-card team and winningest division leader are from the same division, the wild-card team plays the next winningest division leader, and the other two division leaders play. In any event, the two series winners move on to the best-of-seven NLCS.
Since the NLDS's inception, the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros are the only teams to have met more than twice, with the Braves winning the series the first three times and the Astros winning the fourth meeting.
| Year | Winner | Loser | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Atlanta Braves | Colorado Rockies† | 3 | 1 |
| Cincinnati Reds | Los Angeles Dodgers | 3 | 0 | |
| 1996 | Atlanta Braves | Los Angeles Dodgers† | 3 | 0 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | San Diego Padres | 3 | 0 | |
| 1997 | Atlanta Braves | Houston Astros | 3 | 0 |
| Florida Marlins† | San Francisco GiantsBaseball teams The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California. They are in the Western Division of the National League. Founded either 1879 or 1883. The Troy Haymakers (or sometimes Trojans) were expelled from | 3 | 0 | |
| 19981998 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Ocean''. Events January January 1998 A massive ice storm, caused by El Nino, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting | Atlanta Braves | Chicago CubsBaseball teams The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are in the Central Division of the National League. Founded 1870, as an independent professional club. Joined the National Association in 1871. Became a char† | 3 | 0 |
| San Diego Padres | Houston Astros | 3 | 1 | |
| 1999 | Atlanta Braves | Houston Astros | 3 | 1 |
| New York Mets† | Arizona Diamondbacks | 3 | 1 | |
| 2000 | St. Louis Cardinals | Atlanta Braves | 3 | 0 |
| New York Mets† | San Francisco Giants | 3 | 1 | |
| 2001 | Atlanta Braves | Houston Astros | 3 | 0 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | St. Louis Cardinals† | 3 | 2 | |
| 2002 | St. Louis Cardinals | Arizona Diamondbacks | 3 | 0 |
| San Francisco Giants† | Atlanta Braves | 3 | 2 | |
| 2003 | Chicago Cubs | Atlanta Braves | 3 | 2 |
| Florida Marlins† | San Francisco Giants | 3 | 1 | |
| 2004 | St. Louis Cardinals | Los Angeles Dodgers | 3 | 1 |
| Houston Astros† | Atlanta Braves | 3 | 2 |
†Denotes wild-card team.