NLDS: 5 Ways the Diamondbacks Can Still Win Their Series

After Sunday's 9-4 loss in Milwaukee, the Arizona Diamondbacks find their backs against the wall, a mere game away from their season being over. However, as we have witnessed throughout sports' history, just because a team is down–they are not eliminated.

The odds may be stacked heavily against them, but with Kirk Gibson at the helm, it is very difficult to count these Diamondbacks out. And without further ado, here are five things that Arizona needs to do to win this series.

1. Defend Their Home Turf

To come back from a 2-0 deficit is difficult. However, the Diamondbacks do have the luxury of coming home to Chase Field with a chance to extend the series. In the regular season, the Diamondbacks went 51-30 in Arizona.

Their starters for Games 3 and 4 in Arizona will be Josh Collmenter and Joe Saunders. Collmenter finished the season with a 3.30 ERA with nine wins at home opposed to his 3.46 and one win on the road.

Saunders, on the other hand, has been better on the road than at home, posting a 3.14 ERA as opposed to a 4.42. Assuming Collmenter can win his game as he has done in front of the home crowd all season, Saunders will have to be better than his three wins in 15 tries at home. 

Offensively, they have 93 home runs and 400 runs in Arizona to compare to their 79 long balls and 339 runs away. They are clearly a better team in the hitter-friendly Chase Field than away from it. They are going to have to pump out the runs if they want to keep going.

2. Miguel Montero Has to Improve

In the first two games of the series, Arizona's All-Star Catcher Miguel Montero is 0-8 with a walk. This is the same player who hit .282 with 18 home runs and 86 RBI in the regular season, good enough for fourth, second and second, respectively.

Montero was one of the major factors in the Diamondbacks season enabling them to make the playoffs and if they want a chance to go any further, he has to be one of the big reasons. His astounding .351 OBP was important to the squad, helping him score 65 runs throughout the season.

More importantly, if he continues his short but relevant skid, there is no reason for the Brewer pitchers to give Justin Upton anything good to swing at, which spell worse news for Arizona.

Whatever the problem may be, if Montero cannot figure it out by the time Game 3 starts, the Diamondbacks can start packing their bags.

3. Aaron Hill Needs to Continue to Hit

Since coming to Arizona, Aaron Hill has been a man looking for redemption. In 33 regular season games, the former Blue Jay has scored 23 runs and hit for a .315 batting average. Since the Diamondbacks acquired the 29-year-old second baseman, the club's record sits at 24-9, a .727 winning percentage.

After going 0-3 with a walk in the opening game in Milwaukee, Hill turned it around, going 3-3 with a run scored and walked twice, meaning he has reached base six times in nine postseason plate appearances.

This is the kind of play that keeps the Diamondbacks competitive and should Hill slow down his pace, Arizona will find themselves in serious trouble. 

The only thing that Hill could find himself doing better would be to steal more bases. In the regular season he swiped 21 bases and was only caught seven times. In his two games in Milwaukee, he did not attempt a stolen base. The Diamondbacks need him to steal bases and get in scoring position if they are going to make a comeback. 

4. Brad Ziegler Is Going to Have to Shake off a Poor Outing

In 20.2 regular season innings for the Diamondbacks this season, Brad Ziegler was nothing short of fantastic. He posted an impressive 1.02 WHIP supported by an equally great 1.74 ERA. He also boasted a mark of 6.53 strikeouts per nine innings, quickly becoming one of Kirk Gibson's go-to guys. 

In Game 1 of the playoffs, Gibson handed Ziegler the ball after Prince Fielder's two run home run. The sidewinder faced one batter, Rickie Weeks, and forced the All-Star to ground out to second base, ending the inning. Ziegler would have likely continued to pitch into the eighth inning if he was not pinch hit for in the top of the eighth. 

Game 2 was a different story. After not having an outing in the regular season where he allowed more than one run, Ziegler allowed four runs without recording an out helping Milwaukee effectively put the game away. 

For Arizona to come back in this series, their premier relievers like Ziegler are going to have to be dependable. Josh Collmenter is on the mound in Game 3 and he averages just above 5.2 innings pitched, leaving 3.1 innings to the bullpen.

If the bullpen, and in particular Ziegler, gives up runs, Arizona will be heading home early.

5. Justin Upton Needs to Play Like the MVP Candidate He Is

While so many aspects of the team were great this season, the credit for the Diamondbacks becoming a playoff team has to go to their MVP Candidate Justin Upton. Upton has always been credited as a player with "great potential" or "gifted tools."

However, before this season, he was not as good as he could be. He was always good, but this season he was great. He led Arizona in nearly every offensive category with 31 home runs, 88 RBI, 21 steals, 105 runs and a .289 batting average. 

In the two playoff games so far, he is 2-9 with one home run and two RBI. But if the Diamondbacks want to survive, they will need more than the timely home run or the occasional great play in the field. Upton has to put this team on his back like a superstar does when his team is on the brink.

Justin Upton is going to need to take over. Willie Bloomquist and Aaron Hill have both been getting on base consistently and it comes to Upton to drive them in. If he does not drive in runs in Arizona, this series will not get past Tuesday. 

The Diamondbacks are not out of this series yet, but if they do not pick up their game, they will be.