The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped a 3-2 decision to the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, evening the series at one game apiece and shifting the matchup to Atlanta.

Following the loss, Freddie Freeman emphasized the need for the Dodgers to find ways to generate offense without depending on the long ball.

Both teams have received strong pitching through the opening two games of the series, making consistent offense difficult to produce. Freeman believes the Dodgers need to create more opportunities, get runners on base and deliver the timely hit when those chances arise.

The Dodgers have already demonstrated an ability to produce runs through the home run, but Freeman sees manufacturing offense as an important part of their approach moving forward.

Atlanta used multiple pitchers throughout Game 2, creating a difficult matchup for the Dodgers' lineup.

Freeman acknowledged how challenging it can be to face a different arm repeatedly throughout a game. Each pitcher can bring a different combination of velocity, movement and release point, forcing hitters to adjust from one at-bat to the next.

That approach helped the Braves escape several important situations and keep the Dodgers from building a larger offensive threat. Ultimately, the Dodgers would finish 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven runners on base.

Atlanta's pitching staff has been able to limit Los Angeles through the first two games, contributing to two closely contested games. Freeman expects that challenge to continue as the series moves forward.

While the Dodgers struggled to produce consistently, Freeman noted that the team did have opportunities during Game 2.

The difficulty comes from stringing together enough hits to turn those opportunities into multiple runs. In the postseason, where the quality of pitching is often at its highest, putting together several consecutive hits can be especially difficult.

That makes timely hitting even more important.

The Dodgers do not necessarily need to radically change their offensive approach. Instead, Freeman believes the lineup needs to continue controlling the strike zone and trusting its individual plans at the plate.

Freeman also enters the next stage of the series feeling positive about his swing.

After a productive stretch leading into the postseason, the veteran first baseman believes he has been seeing the ball well through the opening games. He hopes to carry that consistency into the upcoming road portion of the series.

For Freeman, the key is maintaining the same approach rather than becoming overly aggressive in an attempt to create more offense.

The Dodgers' hitters will have to balance that patience with the need to capitalize when opportunities arise.

With the series now tied 1-1, Los Angeles heads into its next game needing to find additional ways to score. Freeman believes the answer is not abandoning the team's approach, but executing it better when the biggest opportunities arrive.