• The Arizona Diamondbacks hammered the LA Dodgers 11-2 on Saturday to take 1-0 lead in the best-of-five NLDS
• The Dodgers are heavy favorites to even up the series in Game 2 on Monday night
• See the D-Backs vs Dodgers odds, predictions, and best bets for Game 2 on Oct. 9

An absolutely disastrous first two innings on Saturday spelled doom for the Los Angeles Dodgers (100-63, 53-29 home), who fell behind 9-0 en route to an 11-2 drubbing at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks (87-78, 43-40 away). After an off-day Sunday, Los Angeles looks to even things up on Monday night in Game 2 of the best-of-five series at Dodger Stadium (6:07 pm PT/9:07 pm ET).

Standout rookie Bobby Miller will get the nod for LA on Monday night, hoping to – ironically – do what living-legend Clayton Kershaw couldn’t in the opener. Even though Arizona will send the ace of their staff, Zac Gallen, to the hill in Game 2, the MLB odds still heavily favor the Dodgers.

Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Game 2 Odds

The Dodgers are -160 home favorites behind Miller and +130 on the runline to win by at least two. The Diamondbacks come back as +135 road underdogs, while the game total is at 8.0, down half a run from the 8.5 total on Saturday.

Odds as of Oct. 9 at Caesars Sportsbook. Claim a Caesars sign-up bonus to wager on Arizona vs LA on Monday night.

The Game 1 victory did wonders for Arizona’s World Series odds. The D-Backs were roughly +1500 heading into the series and improved to +868 after the win. Arizona had opened as a +126 underdog to advance to the NLCS portion of the MLB playoff bracket and now are -140 favorites to win the best-of-five NLDS.

ARI vs LAD Game 2 Starting Pitchers

After getting 6.1 scoreless innings out of number-two starter Merrill Kelly on Saturday, the D-Backs will be hoping for a similar performance from ace Zac Gallen.  The 28-year-old was solid if not spectacular in his first taste of playoff baseball in the NL Wild Card. Gallen managed six innings of five-hit, two-run ball against the Brewers in Arizona’s series-clinching victory, though he also walked three and only struck out four.

The rookie Miller will be getting his first taste of the postseason on Monday night, though he did finish second on the team in both innings pitched (124.1), wins (11), and strikeouts (119).

Zac Gallen vs Bobby Miller

Miller had two starts against the Diamondbacks in the regular season, both in August. The first was exceptional – scattering four hits and four walks over six scoreless innings – while the second left a lot to be desired – four earned runs on seven hits and two walks, also over six innings – though LA went onto win both games (2-0 and 7-6).

Gallen made two starts against the Dodgers this season, getting hammered in both. Gallen was tagged for five runs on six hits by the Dodgers in an 8-2 Opening Day loss. He also started opposite Miller in the 7-6 loss on Aug 28, giving up six runs on nine hits and three walks over 5.1 innings.

For his career, though, Gallen actually has reasonably good numbers against the Dodger hitters, who have a .233/.297/.451 slash-line in 133 total at-bats against the 28-year-old righty.

Arizona vs LA Dodgers Game 2 Player Props

Only one player is listed with a total-hits prop of 1.5 (LA’s Freddie Freeman). Freeman finished second to Ronald Acuna Jr in total hits in the majors during the regular season with 211, marking the first time in his exceptional 13-year career he exceeded 200.

The shortest odds to hit a home run, by a sizable margin, belong to the Dodgers’ Max Muncy (+300), who finished with 36 homers in the regular season in just 135 games. Among Arizona players, Ketel Marte has the shortest odds to hit a homer at +425.

The starting pitchers have markedly similar over/unders in today’s MLB player props. Miller has a strikeout over/under (5.5) one higher than Gallen (4.5), but Miller is heavily favored to stay under (-170) while Gallen is slightly favored to go over (-120). Both have a total-outs prop of 15.5, but the veteran Gallen has shorter odds to go over (-105 versus +130 for Miller).

Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Game 2 Predictions

Miller’s two starts against Arizona in the regular season look encouraging, overall, but it’s concerning that the D-Backs were able to get to him for four runs the second time around. Arizona is now averaging 7.33 runs per game in their first three playoff games this season and have scored at least five each time out. In other words, they’re getting hot at the right time and have recent, successful experience against the rookie starter they’ll be facing on Monday.

The way LA teed off on Gallen in the regular season makes it tough to back Arizona on the moneyline. Instead, the over looks like the safer play. I’m also backing Mookie Betts, who’s batting .278 with a double, a homer, and two RBI off of Gallen in 18 at-bats, to drive in a run.

D-Backs vs Dodgers Picks:

• ARI vs LA over 8.0 runs (-110)
• Mookie Betts over 0.5 RBI (+180) 

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