Dodgers beat Cubs 7-2 on Martin's grand slam

The story line when the Cubs were swept in the first round of last year's playoffs was usually a few blunders, followed by a timely hit from one of the Dodgers.

Things weren't much different Thursday when the Cubs opened a four-game series in Los Angeles. The Cubs' big mistake in a 7-2 loss was sending a pinch-hitter to the plate for starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny.

Gorzelanny gave up single runs in the first two innings, then retired 10 in a row and kept the score tied 2-2. When the Dodgers semi-intentionally walked Koyie Hill to put two runners on with two outs in the sixth, manager Lou Piniella felt obligated to remove Gorzelanny for a pinch hitter.

Aaron Miles, one of this season's many disappointing players, stepped to the plate and grounded out to second, lowering his season batting average to .181.

Reliever Angel Guzman came on in the bottom of the inning and quickly surrendered 2 singles, an intentional walk and a grand slam home run by Russell Martin that gave the Dodgers a 6-2 lead.

Gorzelanny, acquired at the trade deadline from Pittsburgh, was shelled in a loss at Colorado. But in his other three starts, Gorzelanny has posted a 2.08 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 171/3 innings.

The Cubs scored their 2 runs on a solo homer by Kosuke Fukudome and an RBI single by Aramis Ramirez.

Before the game, Piniella tried spreading some optimism, based on Wednesday's 7-1 win at San Diego.

"We swung the bats yesterday like the team we thought we put together this past winter, a team that would hit the ball in the gaps and hit the ball out of the ballpark," he said on the WGN radio pregame show. "It makes you wonder: How come we don't do that more often?"

After finishing with the Dodgers, the Cubs will play 24 of their final 40 games at Wrigley Field, where they've posted the second-best home record in the National League (35-22). San Francisco ranks first with a .661 winning percentage.

When they return from Los Angeles, the Cubs hit a stretch where they'll play 22 of 23 games against teams that currently own a losing record. The lone exception is the home makeup with the White Sox on Sept. 3.

"We've got six weeks to go in this season," Piniella added. "There's plenty of time. Let's keep swinging the bats. Our starting pitching in that San Diego series was pretty good."

Pirates will play two: The Cubs announced that Sunday's rainout against Pittsburgh will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Sept. 30.