Arizona Diamondbacks silence the LA Dodgers again, continuing their stunning postseason
LOS ANGELES — Ok, so now do you believe in the Arizona Diamondbacks?
The D-backs continued their magical vengeance tour through the postseason, kicking sand in the faces of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second consecutive game, 4-2, Monday night, and now are just one victory away from advancing to the National League Championship Series for only the third time in franchise history.
The D-backs are up two games to none in the best-of-five NL Division Series, and can close out the series Wednesday night or Thursday night at Chase Field in Phoenix, completing their stunning postseason run.
The last time the D-backs played in Phoenix, they were being swept by the Houston Astros to close out the regular season, although they clinched the final wild-card spot with a loss, and celebrated with a pool party.
They since have gone to Milwaukee, swept the Brewers in the NL wild-card series, and now have bludgeoned the Dodgers, silencing the sellout crowd of 51,449 at Dodger Stadium.
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Maybe it’s time to put the narrative to rest that the Diamondbacks are those plucky little underdogs.
“We hear the talk,’’ Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’re here that maybe we’re like the little bother that everybody can beat up on.
“We take that personally. We embrace it.
“We understand that we haven’t done a lot compared to the Dodgers or the Astros or some of the teams that are getting some of the notoriety.
“But we’re here, we’re ready to compete, and we like it that way.’’
They’ve certainly been rude guests to the Dodgers starting rotation, embarrassing three-time Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw in Game 1, and tormenting Game 2 rookie starter Bobby Miller.
The Diamondbacks knocked Miller out of the game after just 1 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and four hits.
The Dodgers’ starting rotation after the first two games:. 2 innings, 10 hits, 9 earned runs, 40.50 ERA.
They have been forced to use their bullpen for 48 of the 54 outs this series.
“You just can't survive ultimately to win 11 games in October by doing a bullpen every single [game],’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It just can't happen. It's just not sustainable. You have to have a guy that can take down outs.’’
The Dodgers could have an awful long winter trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again next October.