NLDS Game 1: Dodgers 7, Cubs 2

CHICAGO (AP) - James Loney, Manny Ramirez and Derek Lowe have helped the Los Angeles Dodgers take a 1-0 lead in their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Loney hit a grand slam and Ramirez added a solo shot to support Lowe in the Dodgers’ 7-2 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The Dodgers trailed 2-0 with two outs in the fifth until Loney went deep off losing pitcher Ryan Dempster. Ramirez and Andre Ethier kept the inning alive by working out walks before Loney smacked his first career playoff homer.

Ramirez made it 5-2 by leading off the seventh with his 25th career postseason home run, extending his major league record. Russell Martin added a ninth-inning blast to cap the scoring.

Lowe struck out six in six innings while holding the Cubs to seven hits, including Mark DeRosa’s two-run homer in the second inning.

Dempster surrendered four runs, four hits and seven walks in four and two-thirds.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano will try to even the series when he takes the mound tomorrow against Chad Billingsley.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)