Every Game 7 in NLCS and ALCS history

It doesn't get any more exciting than a winner-take-all Game 7 in baseball. And the 2023 postseason brought us two in as many days.

On Monday night, the Rangers blew out the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS at Houston's Minute Maid Park, punching their ticket to the World Series. Meanwhile, the D-backs pulled off two straight stunning wins in Games 6 and 7 of the NLCS in Philadelphia to send Arizona to the World Series for the first time since 2001.

Entering Tuesday, there have been 21 winner-take-all Game 7s in LCS history, and some of the most memorable playoff series of all time are NLCS and ALCS that went seven games.

Here is a look back at every previous LCS Game 7, starting with the most recent.

2023 NLCS -- D-backs 4, Phillies 2
After losing Game 5 in Arizona and going down 3-2 in the series, the D-backs had to win two straight games in Philadelphia -- one of the toughest playoff environments in all of baseball. The D-backs were up to the task, winning 5-1 in Game 6 and 4-2 in Game 7 to make their way to the World Series for the first time in two decades. Arizona turned to sensational rookie Brandon Pfaadt in Game 7 and was rewarded with four innings of two-run baseball. He was followed up by a bullpen that stifled Phillies hitters with five scoreless innings and a 3-hit, 2-RBI performance from star Corbin Carroll.

2023 ALCS -- Rangers 11, Astros 4
For the seventh straight game in the series, the road team triumphed. And this time, the Rangers did so in blowout fashion. Texas jumped ahead right away, scoring three runs in the top of the first, with Corey Seager’s 113.1 mph, 440-foot solo shot off Cristian Javier striking the initial blow. Then it was the Adolis García Show. García, who had already been at the center of this series, smacked an RBI single in the first inning, a solo homer in the third, a two-run single in the fourth and another solo homer in the eighth. He finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and five RBIs, spurring a blowout that brought Texas to within four wins of the first World Series title in franchise history.

2020 NLCS -- Dodgers 4, Braves 3
The Dodgers completed their NLCS comeback after falling behind, three games to one, defeating the Braves at Texas' Globe Life Field -- a neutral site -- thanks to stellar defense and a pair of clutch home runs. Enrique Hernández launched a game-tying homer in the sixth, and Cody Bellinger hit Los Angeles' biggest homer of the season, a go-ahead shot over the right-field wall in the seventh for a 4-3 lead. In what was a bullpen game for the Dodgers, the team's final three pitchers of the night (Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol and Julio Urías) combined for six hitless innings.

2020 ALCS -- Rays 4, Astros 2
In a series Tampa Bay led, three games to none, Houston surged to become the second team in MLB history to force a Game 7 after falling into a 3-0 series hole. But the Rays got a vintage performance from the postseason-tested Charlie Morton, who tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and an MLB rookie record seventh postseason home run from Series MVP Randy Arozarena en route to clinching the franchise's second AL pennant.

2018 NLCS -- Dodgers 5, Brewers 1
The Dodgers clinched their second straight NL pennant after a hard-fought series with Milwaukee. In Game 7, the Yeli-Belli rivalry ignited as Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger traded home runs, Dodgers rookie flamethrower Walker Buehler stepped up with seven strikeouts and just one run allowed, Yasiel Puig crushed a huge three-run homer in the sixth inning and none other than Clayton Kershaw came in to close out the series in relief just three days after pitching a gem in Game 5.

2017 ALCS -- Astros 4, Yankees 0
A thrilling back-and-forth series in which the home team won every game was decided in Houston, where the eventual World Series champion Astros shut out their postseason rivals in Game 7. Evan Gattis broke a scoreless tie with a home run off CC Sabathia, AL MVP Jose Altuve added a home run of his own and Lance McCullers Jr. closed the game for the Astros by throwing 24 curveballs in a row.

2012 NLCS -- Giants 9, Cardinals 0
The Giants' even-year magic continued as they rallied from three-games-to-one down in the series to win it in seven. In front of a home crowd of 43,056 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Matt Cain fired 5 2/3 shutout innings and the Giants broke the game open early on the weirdest bases-clearing double you'll ever see -- Hunter Pence's bat shattered and actually hit the ball three times on the same swing, giving it crazy spin that helped it squirt through the infield.

2008 ALCS -- Rays 3, Red Sox 1
The Rays advanced to the first World Series in franchise history by beating their AL East rivals in Game 7 at The Trop. Matt Garza got the better of young Red Sox ace Jon Lester in a great pitchers' duel, AL Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria had a big game-tying RBI double, and a rookie David Price memorably came in to save the game and send Tampa Bay to the World Series just weeks after making his big league debut.

2007 ALCS -- Red Sox 11, Cleveland 2
The Red Sox moved one step closer to their second title in four seasons with a big win at Fenway Park. But the game was a tight one until the late innings. That's when Dustin Pedroia took over. The 23-year-old rookie (and soon-to-be AL Rookie of the Year) crushed a two-run homer in the seventh inning when the Red Sox were only up by one, then hit a bases-clearing double an inning later to put the series out of reach.

2006 NLCS -- Cardinals 3, Mets 1
The Cardinals upset the Mets at Shea Stadium behind the heroics of a young Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. Endy Chávez made one of the greatest postseason catches of all time when he robbed Scott Rolen of a home run to keep the game tied in the sixth inning, but Yadi's tiebreaking home run in the top of the ninth and Wainwright's game-ending strikeout of Carlos Beltrán with the bases loaded sent St. Louis on its way to a World Series win.

2004 NLCS -- Cardinals 5, Astros 2
Both LCS went to Game 7 in 2004, and both were all-time great series. Albert Pujols' monster series helped the Cardinals overcome Beltrán on one of the greatest playoff runs ever. Beltrán hit eight home runs in the '04 playoffs, including four in the NLCS, but Pujols crushed four homers in the NLCS, too, and posted an incredible .500/.563/1.000 slash line with a 1.563 OPS in the seven games. In Game 7, Pujols hit the game-tying double in the seventh inning, Rolen followed with a tiebreaking two-run homer off Roger Clemens, and Jim Edmonds made a sensational diving catch in center field.

2004 ALCS -- Red Sox 10, Yankees 3
The Red Sox completed the greatest comeback in MLB postseason history when they became the only team to ever rally from down three games to none and win the series. The most dramatic moments came earlier in the ALCS, but Game 7 at Yankee Stadium still featured yet another big home run by David Ortiz, a grand slam by Johnny Damon and clutch pitching from Derek Lowe as Boston conquered its archrival on its way to shattering the Curse of the Bambino.

2003 ALCS -- Yankees 6, Red Sox 5
The Aaron Boone game. Boone's walk-off home run off Tim Wakefield in the bottom of the 11th inning at Yankee Stadium made him an instant postseason legend. The Yankees finished off an unlikely late-inning comeback against Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez, extending the Curse of the Bambino … for one more year ... and adding another chapter to the Yanks-Sox rivalry.

2003 NLCS -- Marlins 9, Cubs 6
Game 6 of this series is the most famous one (when the Marlins rallied after Steve Bartman interfered with Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul ball), but the Marlins still had to complete their comeback from down 3-1 in the series. In a back-and-forth Game 7 slugfest at Wrigley Field, Miguel Cabrera -- then a 20-year-old rookie -- belted a three-run homer off Kerry Wood in the first inning, Ivan Rodriguez started a go-ahead rally in the fifth and Josh Beckett threw four clutch innings in relief on two days' rest after pitching a shutout in Game 5.

1996 NLCS -- Braves 15, Cardinals 0
The Braves trailed the Cardinals three games to one before storming back to win the NLCS in seven, including a 14-0 win in Game 5 and this 15-0 win in Game 7 in Atlanta. Tom Glavine was on top of his game, pitching seven shutout innings, and the Braves got home runs from Javy Lopez, 19-year-old Andruw Jones and Fred McGriff.

1992 NLCS -- Braves 3, Pirates 2
The Braves held a 3-1 series lead against the Pirates in '92, but they suddenly found themselves on the brink of elimination as Pittsburgh won Games 5 and 6 and took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 in Atlanta. But with the bases loaded and the Braves down to their final out, Francisco Cabrera lined the walk-off two-run single as Sid Bream slid in safely just ahead of Barry Bonds' throw to the plate.

1991 NLCS -- Braves 4, Pirates 0
That '92 NLCS was actually the second straight year the Braves and Pirates went to Game 7. The Braves got the better of Pittsburgh in 1991, too, behind the brilliant pitching of John Smoltz, who pitched a shutout in the winner-take-all Game 7, striking out eight along the way. Atlanta got a three-run first inning capped by a Brian Hunter home run and never looked back.

1988 NLCS -- Dodgers 6, Mets 0
The heavily favored Mets were shocked by the Dodgers, as series MVP Orel Hershiser pitched his finest game in Game 7, a five-hit shutout at Dodger Stadium that sent Los Angeles to the World Series. In the Dodgers' next game, Game 1 of the World Series against the A's, Kirk Gibson hit his iconic home run.

1987 NLCS -- Cardinals 6, Giants 0
Danny Cox led the Cardinals past the Giants by pitching a Game 7 shutout at Busch Stadium. Jose Oquendo's three-run homer off Atlee Hammaker in the second inning was the big blow on offense for St. Louis.

1986 ALCS -- Red Sox 8, Angels 1
Before they could play one of the greatest World Series of all time against the Mets, the Red Sox had to pull off a wild ALCS comeback against the Angels, who led the series 3-1 and held a three-run lead in the ninth inning of Game 5 before Boston fought back to win that game in Anaheim and the last two at Fenway. In Game 7, Roger Clemens pitched seven sharp innings and Jim Rice and Dwight Evans crushed big home runs to lead the Red Sox to the pennant.

1985 ALCS -- Royals 6, Blue Jays 2
On the way to the franchise's first World Series title, the Royals had to come back from a three-games-to-one deficit in the ALCS to beat the Blue Jays in seven games. That included winning Games 6 and 7 in Toronto. Jim Sundberg's bases-clearing triple off the top of the right-field wall against Dave Stieb in the sixth was the biggest hit of Game 7, and Dan Quisenberry eventually closed out the pennant.