The Arizona Diamondbacks will compete in the NL Division Series for the first time since 2017, taking on their division rival Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five set. Game 2 at Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. and will be shown by TBS.
The Diamondbacks clawed their way to a narrow lead in the late innings
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Torey Lovullo made a bold move in the bottom of the sixth inning, replacing Zac Gallen after just 84 pitches. The move didn’t necessarily work out, but the Diamondbacks still lead 4-2 after six games.
After a routine groundout by Will Smith, Max Muncy and JD Martinez both hit soft singles, each on seemingly quality pitches from Gallen. But with three left-handers in the starting lineup, Lovullo replaced Gallen with left-hander Andrew Saalfrank.
The Dodgers brought in a pair of right-handed pinch hitters to eliminate Saalfrank’s left-to-left advantage. He walked first, Chris Taylor, and allowed an infield single to second, Kiké Hernández. But with the bases loaded and the Dodgers down by two scores, Saalfrank did as he was asked and struck out the only lefty he faced, James Outman. Ryan Thompson then replaced him and got a soft groundout from Kolten Wong to end the threat.
– Theo Mackie
Zac Gallen escapes the jam and keeps the Diamondbacks in front
LOS ANGELES — Much of Zac Gallen’s performance was light work. The fifth inning wasn’t it. And yet, the Diamondbacks still lead 4-1 in the sixth with their ace taking the lead.
With one out in the frame, James Outman walked and Miguel Rojas singled. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers’ two explosive superstars, took first and second place.
Gallen went to his cutter, a pitch she often has trouble getting a feel for, to get Betts to jump to shortstop on the first pitch. Freeman proved to be a more difficult hitter as he watched two curveballs snap below the zone to complete the count. However, Gallen went back for a third curveball, this time in the strike zone, to freeze Freeman’s gaze and end the inning.
Then, early in the sixth, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took the lead with a solo home run with two outs to make it 4-1.
– Theo Mackie
NLDS Game 3 at Chase Field is officially sold out
The Diamondbacks announced Monday that the team’s first home game of these playoffs, Game 3 of this NLDS, is officially sold out.
They said there are only a limited number of tickets left for a possible Game 4, which can be purchased at dbacks.com/postseason. Of course, tickets for both games are available via secondary markets.
There was some debate as to whether Game 2 was actually sold out at Dodger Stadium, but the Dodgers announced before the series began that both first two games were sold out, with only about 100 standing room seats available at the start of the season in the upper deck.
—Mark Faller
JD Martinez gets the Dodgers on the board
LOS ANGELES – JD Martinez hit a 3-2 fastball to right-center field in the fourth, giving the Dodgers their first run of the night against Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen. The Diamondbacks lead 3-1 after four innings.
Martinez got a 95.3 mph down-the-middle fastball — the same pitch he swung through twice in the first inning — and hit it to right field, barely getting it over the wall and on a bouncing ball Corbin Carroll made it past.
Gallen gave up just two hits and a walk in four innings while throwing 56 pitches.
– Nick Piecoro
Zac Gallen sails into an early lead as DBacks
LOS ANGELES – Zac Gallen pitched three scoreless innings in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Monday night, and the Diamondbacks, who won Game 1 on Saturday, lead 3-0 after three innings at Dodger Stadium.
Gallen had a little trouble in the first inning, but put the team out in order in the second and third innings.
Freddie Freeman reached on an infield single in the first – Gallen covered the ball late with a ground ball to first baseman Christian Walker – and Max Muncy drew a two-out walk by putting runners on first and second for JD Martinez brought space.
Gallen made quick work of Martinez, blowing a couple of fastballs right past him – both pitches were up the middle – and fending him off with a curveball in the dirt.
Gallen only needed 43 pitches.
– Nick Piecoro
The Diamondbacks once again take a big lead over the Dodgers
LOS ANGELES – The cars were still rolling into Chavez Ravine, the fans were still in their seats at Dodger Stadium when the Diamondbacks once again took a commanding lead in the first inning. They are up 3-0 in Game 2 of the NLDS and have a chance to take a 2-0 lead in the series heading back to Chase Field.
Corbin Carroll got the ball rolling with a leadoff single before Ketel Marte delivered a surprise ball, catching the Dodgers’ defense off guard to reach base. Tommy Pham hit a single to left to load the bases before Christian Walker was robbed of a double by a jumping catch by James Outman along the centerfield wall. Still, the flyout gave the Diamondbacks the lead.
Pham then stole second and avoided a double play in the bottom of the inning when Gabriel Moreno hit a groundout to shortstop and Marte scored from third. Pham himself scored when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a single up the middle.
It’s the second time in as many games that the Diamondbacks ambush the Dodgers early. In the first game on Saturday, they led 6-0 after one inning and 9-0 after two.
– Theo Mackie
Diamondbacks could use Paul Sewald more aggressively in NLDS
LOS ANGELES – Since joining the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline, Paul Sewald hasn’t pitched more than one inning. Overall, he has only thrown one multi-inning outing this year – a five-out save for the Mariners on July 1. He also pitched almost exclusively in save situations or extra innings.
Both roles could change in the playoffs, manager Torey Lovullo said Monday. So far this postseason, Sewald has appeared twice – both times against the Brewers, both times in the ninth inning to complete a save.
But in Game 1 of that Wild Card series, when Brandon Pfaadt started and went just 2 2/3 innings, Lovullo said Sewald was an option in the eighth inning before Andrew Saalfrank helped put out a fire and the gap to the ninth close.
“I agree,” Lovullo said. “He agrees. And we’re all there. You ask yourself, in your mind, your body, your spirit, to do something he’s never done before because there’s no tomorrow.”
Sewald would also likely be used if the Diamondbacks entered the ninth inning with a four-run lead – and possibly even if they led by five runs.
If Sewald is left in the bullpen with a four-run lead, that means he has at least three batters facing him, he may be asked to come into the game with no outs, the bases loaded, and the tying run at the plate.
“This is definitely not what your familiar is facing,” Lovullo said.
Even with a five-run lead, this scenario would mean the winning run.
“The LA Dodgers are a very strong team,” Lovullo said. “You can run and hit, and out of nowhere a five-run lead becomes a two-run lead. I really want to avoid that.”
– Theo Mackie
LOS ANGELES – Should Major League Baseball reset the playoff pairings after each round? The topic has been discussed this fall, with the No. 6 team in the National League — the Diamondbacks — in the thick of the conversation, mostly on social media.
The logic was that teams like the Braves, with their 104 wins and No. 1 seeds, deserved to play the worst teams remaining. Arizona apparently didn’t miss the debate.
“This team has a chip on its shoulder,” manager Torey Lovullo said before Monday’s NLDS Game 2. “We take it personally when we look at some commentary on TV or read some things that made everyone want to see this thing again so the Braves can pick on the lowly Diamondbacks.”
Zac Gallen, Monday’s starting pitcher, reiterated: “Other than the 26 guys, 28 guys in this clubhouse, I don’t know that anyone else thinks we should be here, that we deserve to be here,” Gallen said .
– Theo Mackie
Diamondbacks-Dodgers NLDS Game 2 pitching matchup
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-0, 3.00) vs. Dodgers RHP Bobby Miller (11-4, 3.76)*.
Gallen’s start against the Brewers in the Wild Card Series was unusual. He allowed two runs in the first inning while throwing 32 pitches. But from there he recovered superbly, allowed no further damage and made it to the sixth period, paving the way for the Diamondbacks’ decisive series win. … Gallen had a turbulent regular season. He appeared to be the favorite to win the NL Cy Young for most of the year before a string of poor starts toward the end. … Gallen’s last two starts in the regular season were both strong and increased momentum heading into the playoffs. … In two starts against the Dodgers this year, Gallen allowed 11 runs in 10 innings. … Miller, the Dodgers’ 2020 first-round draft pick, debuted in May and has been a revelation ever since, bolstering a struggling Dodgers’ rotation. In his two starts against the Diamondbacks, Miller allowed four runs over 12 innings. … Miller finished the regular season on a strong note, not allowing more than three runs in any of his last four starts. He had an ERA of 2.78 during that span.
Comes
Tuesday: Out of.
Wednesday: Game 3: At Chase Field, 6:07 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 10.13) vs. Dodgers TBA.
Thursday: Game 4 (if necessary): At Chase Field, 6:07 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (1-0, 0.00) vs. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 162.00).
Friday: Game 5 (if necessary): At Los Angeles, 6:20 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-0, 3.00) vs. Dodgers TBA.
Diamondbacks-Dodgers NLDS series schedule, results
Game 1, October 7 – Arizona 11, Los Angeles 2 (Diamondbacks lead series, 1-0)
Game 2, October 9 – Arizona at Los Angeles, 6:07 p.m
Game 3, October 11 – Los Angeles at Arizona, 6:07 p.m
Game 4, October 12th – Los Angeles at Arizona, 6:07 p.m.*
Game 5, October 14th – Arizona at Los Angeles, 6:20 p.m.*
*-If necessary
All games are on TBS.
Reading before the game
▪Diamondbacks have a great opportunity with Zac Gallen on the mound
▪Diamondbacks play with “Chip on Shoulder”
▪How the Diamondbacks gave Clayton Kershaw the worst night of his career