The 2013 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the baseball teams to participate in the 2013 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1-3 based on record) and a fourth team — the winner of a one-game Wild Card playoff — played in two series. TBS carried most of the games, with some on MLB Network.
These matchups were: (1) St. Louis Cardinals (Central Division champions) vs. (4) Pittsburgh Pirates (Wild Card Game winner): Cardinals win series 3–2. (2) Atlanta Braves (East Division champions) vs. (3) Los Angeles Dodgers (West Division champions): Dodgers win series 3–1.
The Pirates made their first postseason appearance since 1992, and their first appearance in the Division Series in franchise history.
The Cardinals would go on to defeat the Dodgers in the NLCS, then lose the 2013 World Series to the American League champion Boston Red Sox.
Matchups
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Pittsburgh vs. St. Louis
This was the first postseason meeting between the current National League Central division rivals St. Louis and Pittsburgh.
Game 1
The Cardinals set a new NLDS record with seven runs in the third inning. Adam Wainwright drew a leadoff walk, then Matt Carpenter singled before Carlos Beltrán's towering three-run home run (), his 15th in post-season play tying Babe Ruth for eighth place on the list, put the Cardinals up 3–0. Only Derek Jeter (20) and Albert Pujols (18) among active players have more. A double, hit-by-pitch and walk loaded the bases before Jon Jay walked to force in another run, then David Freese cleared the bases with a single aided by an error to knock starter A. J. Burnett out of the game. Pedro Alvarez's leadoff home run in the fifth off Wainwright provided the only run for the Pirates. The Cardinals added a run in the bottom of the inning off Jeanmar Gomez on Daniel Descalso's forceout with runners on first and second aided by an error. Next inning Matt Adams walked with two outs before scoring the Cardinals' last run on Yadier Molina's double. Wainwright pitches seven innings allowing just one run, three hits while striking out nine. Carlos Martinez and Trevor Rosenthal pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth respectively as the Cardinals took a 1–0 series lead.
Game 2
The Pirates scored first with two outs in the second inning off Lance Lynn as Gerrit Cole drove in Pedro Álvarez with a single after Jordy Mercer was intentionally walked. Alvarez hit his second home run of the series in the third, a two-run line drive. The Pirates added to their lead in the fifth when Justin Morneau doubled with one out and scored on Marlon Byrd's double. After Alvarez walked, Seth Maness relieved Lynn and Russell Martin plated Byrd with a single. The Cardinals got on the board with a home run from Yadier Molina in the bottom of the fifth off Gerrit Cole. It was his third post-season home run. The Pirates added to their lead in the seventh inning as Martin plated Byrd again, this time via a sacrifice fly off Kevin Siegrist, then Starling Marte's lead off home run next inning off Shelby Miller capped the game's scoring at 7–1. Cole pitched six innings and three relievers held the Cardinals scoreless in the last three innings as the Pirates tied the series heading to Pittsburgh.
Game 3
The Pirates opened up their first non-Wild Card postseason home game in 21 years by scoring two runs in the first inning on Marlon Byrd's single with runners on second and third off Joe Kelly. The Cardinals tied the game in the fifth with a two-out two-run single by Carlos Beltrán off Francisco Liriano. The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on a double and two walks off Kelly, who was relieved by Seth Maness, and took the lead on Russell Martin's sacrifice fly. Beltran's home run in the eighth off Mark Melancon tied the game again. The home run was Beltran's 16th playoff home run, which moved him past Babe Ruth for eighth place in postseason history. In the bottom of the inning, the Pirates got two on with one out off Carlos Martinez, who was relieved by Kevin Siegrist. Back-to-back RBI singles by Pedro Alvarez and Martin put the Pirates up 5–3. Jason Grilli pitched a scoreless ninth for the save as the Pirates took a 2–1 series lead. In the four playoff games since this one, the Pirates have failed to score 5 runs yet.