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First look at Cardinals-Nationals NL Championship Series

Just as everyone predicted, the Cardinals went into Atlanta and scored 10 runs in the first inning, and the Nationals went into Dodger Stadium and hit back-to-back, game-tying home runs off Clayton Kershaw in the eighth inning, then took the lead on Howie Kendrick's grand slam in the 10th.

The 106-win Dodgers will not be the first National League team since the 1921-24 New York Giants to win three consecutive pennants. The NL East champs are out of the MLB playoffs. We have the Cardinals and Nationals in the NL Championship Series. Here are six reasons each team can make it to the World Series ... and three key questions.