World Series 2017: It’s time for the Dodgers to officially hit the panic button

The World Series 2017 has the Los Angeles Dodgers back on the ropes.

After surpassing a 100-win season, clinching home field advantage in the playoffs, and getting to the World Series with just one loss in the playoffs — it’s uncomfortable to see the Dodgers in a now must-win situation.

Going down three games to one isn’t an option, as game five will be in Houston anyway. They have to want to win in Game 4 of this series more than any game these guys have played in their entire life. Houston was three outs away from losing both of the opening games in Los Angeles, but they fought back and earned an incredible extra winnings win in Game 2 to keep things interesting.

Once the series shifted to Houston, where the Astros remain unbeaten this postseason, it wasn’t a good look for the Dodgers. LA gave up four runs to the Astros in the second inning, responding with just one run of their own in the following half-inning.

Houston was able to tack on one more in the bottom of the fifth and LA again responded with two runs in the sixth inning, but didn’t get enough done to emerge victorious. After seeing how losses piled up on this team in the latter part of the regular season, this is the ultimate defining moment for this squad.

If you needed a little more fire under your belly, here’s an excerpt from a piece on MLB.com talking about the chances teams on both sides of a 3-1 lead have in the World Series.

Per MLB:

"Of the 34 teams with a 3-1 World Series lead, 18 were able to close out the Series in Game 5, including both of the past two (2015 Royals, 2010 Giants). The other 16 times, the trailing team forced a Game 6, most recently the Phillies against the Yankees in 2009."

Down 2-1 on the road and not coming back for a game in LA unless they take one from the Astros, they need to play with the fire that got them to where they are. It’s part of why they made it even to the World Series in the first place.

In order to do that, they need their offense to catch fire and they need to play like a bat out of hell. Dodgers fans haven’t waited nearly thirty years to see their team dominate in the regular season and most of the postseason just to have it all fall apart before their eyes.

Next: How The Dodgers Can Lose In Five

This team knows better than that.