On Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped to 1-1 in their NLDS series against the Atlanta Braves with a tough 3-2 home loss in Game 2. The Dodgers now head to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4 of the series, having suddenly relinquished some major momentum in the series.
Making matters more concerning for Los Angeles is the fact that the Braves were able to pull off this win in a bullpen game, instead opting to rest ace Chris Sale and likely start him in Game 3.
Here's who's most to blame for the Dodgers' tough loss.
Blake Snell
Blake Snell got the start on the mound for Los Angeles in this one, and he struggled with his command throughout the evening. Although he only ended up surrendering one run, Snell frequently got himself into drawn-out duels with batters, running up his pitch count early and looking like the polar opposite of Tarik Skubal's dominant performance in Game 1.
Snell's high pitch count ultimately forced him out of the game in the fourth inning, much earlier than Dave Roberts and company were likely anticipating, and the Dodgers wound up shockingly using more pitchers than the Braves in this one despite Atlanta designating it as a bullpen game.
Shohei Ohtani
Article Continues BelowShohei Ohtani's struggles over the last month continued in this one. Although he did hit a single at one point, the superstar also struck out twice and stranded multiple runners in the process.
If Ohtani is going to continue to look like a shell of his usual self, it's fair to wonder how realistic the Dodgers' chances of threepeating truly are.
Will Smith
Will Smith had a rough day at the plate on Sunday, coming up empty in four appearances and failing to get on base. He also found himself unable to snare a wild pitch at one point that allowed Michael Harris to trot over from third base and give the Braves a crucial run that ended up being the difference in the game.
Clearly, the Dodgers aren't going to start panicking after one tough loss at home. However, they would certainly behoove themselves to find a way to win Game 3 and put the pressure back on the Braves.

