Dodgers Hoping Latest NLCS Comeback Vs. Braves Starts Tuesday

LOS ANGELES, CA —The Dodgers trail the Braves 2-0 entering Tuesday afternoon's Game 3 of the best-of-seven National League Championship Series. Yes, we've been here before.

Last year, the same two teams played in the NLCS, and the Braves took a 2-0 series lead. Atlanta eventually led 3-1 in the series before the Dodgers stormed back to win the pennant and ultimately become World Series champions.

Last year's NLCS was played entirely at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, due to Major League Baseball's COVID-19 protocols. Tuesday, the Dodgers are back home at Dodger Stadium for a 2:08 p.m. PST start. The game will be broadcast on TBS.

You can live-stream it on TBS.com.

It will be the first of three straight games in LA -provided the Dodgers don't lose the first two contests - where the Braves have struggled. Atlanta has lost nine straight games in Los Angeles and 19 of its last 22.

"They're just really good here, really good," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It's fun to come out here. Dodger Stadium is an electric place and the weather's nice."

Of course, the recent history between the teams will have little bearing on what happens in this series. In fact, several players expected to be major contributors to a Braves or Dodgers title run, aren't even playing in this series.

The Braves lost superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. to a season-ending ACL injury in early July.

However, Atlanta acquired several players to pick up the slack, including outfielder Eddie Rosario, who got the game-winning hit in Sunday's 5-4 walk-off win in Game 2, and outfielder Joc Pederson, the former Dodger, whose game-tying two-run homer in Game 2 was his third of the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have been forced to survive without two ace pitchers - Trevor Bauer (suspended) and Clayton Kershaw (injured) - and injured first baseman Max Muncy, who had 36 home runs during the regular season.

Not that the deep-pocketed Dodgers are lacking in depth or talent.

Righty Walker Buehler, who went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA during the regular season, gets the ball Tuesday for LA. He started Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Giants, which the Dodgers won 7-2. In that contest, Buehler went 4.1 innings, giving up one earned run and striking out four, before, as has been the case throughout these playoffs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts turned it over to the bullpen.

Buehler was starting that contest on three days' rest. The righty enters Game 3 after a full week off.

"With Walker being on extra rest, I think to have him, to push him, go deeper is certainly a very good option," Roberts said.

Buehler will be hoping to continue the Dodgers pitching staff's mastery of Atlanta slugging first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is 0-for-8 in the series, with seven strikeouts.

"(Freeman) can get hot at any moment," Roberts warned.

The Dodgers will be looking to get their own power bats going. The team hit 237 home runs during the regular season, fourth-best in the majors, but have just seven in the postseason.

Righty Charlie Morton is scheduled to start for the Braves. He went 14-6 with a 3.34 ERA during the regular season and is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in the postseason.

The Dodgers expect to have third baseman Justin Turner back at third base Tuesday. He was reduced to a pinch-hitting role in Game 2 because of a neck injury.

Roberts projected confidence entering Tuesday's game.

"We're back home," Roberts said. "We expect to win Game 3."