▁beat ▁the ▁Gi ants , ▁respectively . ▁The ▁Gi ants ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁four ▁World ▁Series ' ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁mill en ni um , ▁losing ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁to ▁the ▁Ana heim ▁Ang els ▁( Los ▁Angeles ▁Ang els ▁of ▁Ana heim ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 5 ), ▁and ▁winning ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁( R angers ), ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁( T ig ers ), ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁( Ro y als ). ▁▁ 1 9 6 9 : ▁League ▁Championship ▁Series ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁National ▁League ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁League ▁each ▁crown ed ▁its ▁champion ▁( the ▁" p enn ant ▁winner ") ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁best ▁win - loss ▁record ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁season . ▁ ▁A ▁struct ured ▁play off ▁series ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁when ▁both ▁the ▁National ▁and ▁American ▁Le agues ▁were ▁re organ ized ▁into ▁two ▁divisions ▁each , ▁East ▁and ▁West . ▁The ▁two ▁division ▁w inners ▁within ▁each ▁league ▁played ▁each ▁other ▁in ▁a ▁best - of - five ▁League ▁Championship ▁Series ▁to ▁determine ▁who ▁would ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁World ▁Series . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁format ▁changed ▁to ▁best - of - se ven . ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁League ▁Championship ▁Series ▁( NL CS ) ▁and ▁American ▁League ▁Championship ▁Series ▁( AL CS ), ▁since ▁the ▁expansion