For the second time, the Phillies and Astros will hook up in the postseason -- but the first time in a World Series.

The Phillies won their division (91-71) in 1980 by finishing one game ahead of the Montreal Expos. In their 19th season, the Astros were in the National League West. L.A. swept Houston in the final three games of the season to finish in a tie (92-70).  Houston defeated L.A., 7-1, in a one-game playoff at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 6.

• Phillies Alumni

The Astros arrived in Philadelphia only hours before the NLCS first pitch on Oct. 7. The NLCS against Houston will forever be remembered as one of the most gut-wrenching series ever.  The last four games of the five-game series went extra innings, with the Phillies winning the last two in the deafening Astrodome.  

Oct. 7, Veterans Stadium

Houston grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning on three singles against Steve Carlton. Greg Luzinski’s two-run homer in the sixth gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead. It was the only home run of the entire series. The Phillies added another run in the seventh on a run-scoring single by pinch-hitter Greg Gross who was batting for Carlton. Tug McGraw pitched two innings for a save, working around a leadoff walk in the ninth. The postseason win was the Phillies' first since World Series Game 1 on Oct. 8, 1915.

Final: Phillies win, 3-1
Attendance: 65,277

Oct. 8, Veterans Stadium

Trailing, 3-2, Garry Maddox’s RBI single tied the game in the eighth inning. It remained tied at 3 after nine innings. Houston scored four runs in the 10th to even the series, in the first of four consecutive nail-biting extra-inning games.

Final: Astros win, 7-4
Attendance: 65,476

Oct. 10, Astrodome

Scoreless after 10 innings, the Astros won in the 11th. Joe Morgan tripled off Tug McGraw to start the inning. Following two intentional walks, Denny Walling hit a walk-off sacrifice fly.

Final: Astros win, 1-0
Attendance: 44,443

Oct. 11, Astrodome

A Jayson Stark Weird and Wild special: The Astros appeared to pull off a triple play that is ruled a double play following a 20-minute umpire conference that included league president Chub Feeney. Both teams played the game under protest.

In the sixth inning, Gary Woods appeared to score Houston’s third run, but the Phillies appealed and Woods is ruled out for leaving third base too soon. In the seventh, Astros loaded bases on three walks with two out but could not add on.

Trailing, 2-0, the Phillies scored three runs in the eighth only to have Houston tie it with a run in the bottom of the ninth. The inning ended on a Bake McBride-Pete Rose double play.

Luzinski, pinch-hitting for McBride in the 10th, doubled to score Rose, who bowls over catcher Bruce Bochy for the winning run. Manny Trillo’s double provided an insurance run. McGraw pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

Final: Phillies, 5-3
Attendance: 44,582

Oct. 12, Astrodome

Trailing, 1-0, the Phillies scored twice in top of second on Bob Boone’s single. In bottom of the inning, the Astros' tying run was thrown out at home plate, McBride-Trillo-Boone.

The Astros tied game in the sixth and grabbed a 5-2 lead in the next inning. After Boone’s second-inning hit, Nolan Ryan allowed only three baserunners going into the eighth with a three-run lead. Larry Bowa singled, Boone singled off Ryan’s leg and pinch-hitter Gross’ surprise bunt loaded the bases. Rose walked, forcing in a run and sending Ryan to the showers. Keith Moreland’s fielder’s choice grounder made it 5-4. Then an RBI pinch-hit single by Del Unser tied it. Trillo’s triple into the left-field corner gave the Phils a 7-5 lead. In the eighth, the Astros tied game with two two-out runs.

In the 10th inning, Unser doubled with one out, advanced to third on Trillo’s fly ball to right field and scored on a Maddox double to center. Starter Dick Ruthven retired three straight Astros, the final on a fly ball to Maddox that triggered an on-field celebration in a quiet Astrodome and delirious celebration throughout the Delaware Valley. The World Series started two days later.

Final: Phillies, 8-7
Attendance: 44,802