The Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday evening will look to avoid a second straight quick and bitter playoff exit -- this time, a possible sweep -- as the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks shifts to Phoenix.
The Dodgers trail the best-of-five series 2-0 after Monday's loss at Dodger Stadium, evoking memories of last season's four-game Division Series loss to a San Diego Padres team they won 22 more games than during the regular season.
The Diamondbacks' 84 victories were 16 less than the Dodgers.
Of the 88 Major League Baseball teams to have trailed a best-of-five series 2-0 entering the 2023 postseason, 10 have rallied to win the series, 11.4%.
Arizona has combined strong starts with holding the top two batters in the Dodgers' lineup in check in both games.
"I think we've just got to pitch better at times and take better at- bats," Dodger manager Dave Roberts said. "I think that we have the guys that can do it."
The Diamondbacks scored six runs on six hits in one-third of an inning against Clayton Kershaw in an 11-2 victory in Game 1 Saturday.
Arizona combined three singles, a walk and a sacrifice fly for three runs in the first inning off rookie right-hander Bobby Miller in a 4-2 victory in Game 2.
Dodger leadoff hitter Mookie Betts is hitless in seven at-bats, while Freddie Freeman is 1-for-6.
"I'm surprised," Roberts said. "I think that going into this series, I thought Mookie swung the bat well in the week before as far as the simulated games. I thought Freddie was swinging well. But I've talked to Freddie and he doesn't feel like his swing is great.
"But I think it's just one of those things where it's two games and I understand that things are more magnified, but one game, one at-bat could change things and so for me that's what my expectation is."
The Dodgers were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position in both games.
Roberts said in a Zoom call with reporters Tuesday he would think Tuesday night about making lineup changes.
"There is that balance of looking at it," Roberts said. "It's only two games, but the other part of it is that sense of urgency because this is do or die now.
"I do love the at-bats Kike's (Hernandez) been taking and kind of trying to figure out if changing the lineup a little bit as far as structure makes sense. But it's something I'm certainly contemplating and I'll decide ultimately (Wednesday).
Lance Lynn will pitch for the Dodgers in the 6:07 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) game at Chase Field to be televised by TBS against rookie right- hander Brandon Pfaadt.
Lynn was 7-2 with a 4.36 ERA in 11 starts with the Dodgers since being acquired in a July 28 trade with the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers were 9- 2 in Lynn's starts.
Lynn is 6-1 lifetime against the Diamondbacks, including a 4-0 record at Chase Field, but will be facing them for the first time since July 29, 2020.
Pfaadt was 3-9 with a 5.72 ERA in 19 regular-season appearances, including 18 starts. Arizona was 8-10 in Pfaadt's starts.
Pfaadt was 0-2 with a 9.35 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers.
Pfaadt said "One big adjustment was moving to the first base side of the rubber, just kind of helping those pitches tunnel better."
Pfaadt started the Diamondbacks' opener in their Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Oct. 3, allowing three runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. The score was tied, 3-3, when Pfaadt was relieved in a game Arizona won 6-3.
"He's got to have a better mix of pitches" than against Milwaukee, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said at a news conference Tuesday. "I'll read and react. If it's one time through, two times through, I don't know. I'm just going to try to make the best decision I can to help this team win a baseball game."
The Dodgers have not been swept in a postseason series since a 2006 Division Series against the New York Mets. This is the Dodgers' 25th postseason series since then.
"We've won three games in a row," said Roberts, whose team won its final five regular-season games against the Diamondbacks, including sweeping a two-game series at Chase Field Aug. 8-9. "We're very familiar with this ball club. They're playing good baseball, and we've got to find a way to flip the script."
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