Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith are zeros again in Dodgers devastating Game 2 NLCS loss

Heroes, zeros and other observations from the Dodgers’ 7–4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series:Zero: The whole Dodgers’ offense –– but especially Shohei Ohtani and Will SmithReally, the 7-4 scoreline in Monday’s Game 2 loss flattered the Dodgers.They managed just three hits.

All of their scoring required the help of either a wild pitch or a throwing error from Brewers starter Logan Henderson.And once Milwaukee turned to the bullpen, their relievers retired all 15 batters they faced the rest of the way.Still, as has been the case all postseason, it was Ohtani and Smith whose struggles once again loomed largest. From the Nos.

4-5 spots of the order –– after Smith was bumped down from the three-hole pregame –– they combined to go 0-for-8 with three strikeouts.Overall in the playoffs now, Ohtani is 3-for-20 without any extra-base hits, while Smith is now an unthinkable 1-for-23 with one walk and eight strikeouts.Even worse for Smith, Monday included a couple of regrettable moments from behind the plate.In both the first and third innings, Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw what should have been called third strikes against Brice Turang.

But both times home plate umpire Chris Segal missed the call –– and, most crucially, Smith elected against trying to challenge.Manager Dave Roberts didn’t want to second-guess his catcher postgame, while Yamamoto also described both pitches as being “too fine a line on the [edge of the] strike zone” to challenge.Still, both times, they missed ABS chances backfired, with Turang doubling and later scoring in the first, then walking and later scoring in the third.“It was kind of early in the game, we kind of had him on the ropes,” Smith said, explaining his thought process.“I figured we could get him out there [without risking the challenges].”Hero: The Brewers’ bullpenThe Brewers’ bullpen also figured to be one of their strengths in this series.But two game...