At about this time last season, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was pushing all the right buttons as his team was dominating the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. 

The Dodgers ended up sweeping the Brewers, as the latter scored no more than one point in each of the four games that were played. Now, the tables have turned, and it's the Brewers who have Roberts and the Dodgers with their backs against the wall after taking a 2-0 series lead in the NLCS on Monday. 

The question now is whether or not Roberts can respond in this intricate, high-level game of chess that he is playing against Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

In Monday's win, Murphy made great use of his bullpen following Logan Henderson's rocky start, and the Brewers held the Dodgers to three hits in 28 at-bats. 

Meanwhile, Roberts received less from Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the right-handed ace only provided 2.2 innings of work in which he allowed four hits, three earned runs and two walks. 

Roberts was compelled to turn to his bullpen even earlier than Murphy, which caused him to use seven relievers to Milwaukee's four. Los Angeles' pitchers did combine for 10 strikeouts, but they also allowed 12 hits and six walks that contributed to the Brewers scoring seven runs.

Murphy has been able to utilize his bullpen in an effective way throughout the first two games, and it is a hand he can continue to play. Conversely, Roberts’ pitching staff has been strained by the Brewers' hitters, and he has not been able to find a solution.

None of this was going to be easy for Roberts. While he is a Hall of Fame manager in his own right, he is also going up against the two-time Manager of the Year, who may be on track to win a third straight. This version of Milwaukee is also tougher and more experienced than it was last season.

On top of all this, Roberts is dealing with the ailments that have kept Shohei Ohtani from playing anywhere close to 100% healthy, and it has turned him into a no-show during the postseason.

Roberts is in a precarious spot, and while it is impossible for him to do any more than guide this team and strategize, we are about to see how he responds when he is on the ropes. The Dodgers are returning home for Games 3 and 4, which should help. 

Will Roberts be able to find a way to use the shifting series to his advantage in his messaging and in how the team approaches its pregame routines? Can he find a way to exploit a weakness in Murphy’s younger and more inexperienced roster while they are feeling good about their lead?

So far, Murphy has won the battle, but the war is not over. Now, Roberts has to get to work while he has opportunities remaining to do so.