Are Dodgers facing must-win game vs. Brewers? History offers clue

Are Dodgers facing must-win game vs. Brewers?

Key points

• Technically speaking, the Los Angeles Dodgers are not facing a must-win game after losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
• But the odds will be stacked against them if the Dodgers lose Game 2 against the Brewers on Monday, Oct.
• The Dodgers' meager output in a 2-1 loss to the Brewers in Game 1 underscored a difficulty.
• Our experts break down the NLCS rematch, weighing Milwaukee's chances of revenge and whether Los Angeles can create another trip to the World Series.
• Even more demoralizing would be losing Game 2 with star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting for the Dodgers.

Are Dodgers facing must-win game vs. Brewers? History offers clue. Josh Peter USA TODAY. NLCS predictions: Can Brewers keep Dodgers from another World Series?

But the odds will be stacked against them if the Dodgers lose Game 2 against the Brewers on Monday, Oct. 12, in Milwaukee.

Only six teams have fallen behind two games to none and still won a best-of-seven NL or AL championship series, according to MLB.com.

In fact, the Dodgers did it in 2020 against the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers then went on to win the World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Historically speaking, not even a 3-0 deficit is reason to surrender. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox lost the first three games to the New York Yankees before storming back to win the ALCS in seven games.

Additionally, if the Dodgers fall behind 2-0, they'll be headed back to Los Angeles for potentially three games in front of their home crowd before the series shifts back to Milwaukee.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers' meager output in a 2-1 loss to the Brewers in Game 1 underscored a difficulty.

In the postseason, Los Angeles has scored 15 runs, leaving them tied for sixth in run production. Who are they tied with? Milwaukee, it turns out.

But scoring a single run on a night Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski struggled with his command was demoralizing for the Dodgers.

He finished the regular season with an ERA of 2.53 – fifth best in the majors. In Game 3 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, Yamamoto allowed one run on four hits in seven innings, striking out 10. Teams that came back from 0-2 in LCS.

For context, the six teams that won the league championship after falling behind two games to none.

Notably, the league championships were decided by a best-of-five before 1985. And in 1982, the Brewers fell behind the California Angels 2-0 in the ALCS before winning the final three games and advancing to the World Series. The Brewers moved to the National League in 1998. SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, are Dodgers facing must-win game vs. Brewers? History offers clue is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.