[Baseball] Dodgers Win Division Series Opener, 7-2

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs, 7-2, at Wrigley Field Wednesday in Game 1 of their National League division series.

With three homeruns, the Dodgers frustrated the Cubs’ bid for their first World Series title in 100 years.

James Loney hit a grand slam and Manny Ramirez and Russell Martin added homers to brought Los Angeles its second playoff victory since 1988.

While the Dodgers ended a four-game losing streak with the victory, the Cubs once again found themselves under the “goat curse,” stemming from the 4-0 loss to the Florida Marlins in Game 5 of the 2003 National League championship.

The curse began when a Cubs fan tried to enter Wrigley Field accompanied by his goat in Game 4 of the 1945 World Series. When he was refused entry, he promptly placed a curse on the team, saying the Cubs would never play again in a World Series. Indeed Chicago since then has yet to win a National League pennant.

The Cubs had taken a 2-0 lead through the fifth inning but Loney’s grand slam turned the tide of the game. Ramirez and Martin both hit homers to clinch the win. Ramirez once again reaffirmed his reputation as a playoff performer by hitting his 25th career postseason homer.

In the American League, Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies struck out nine while allowing two hits and a walk in eight innings to give his team a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Boston Red Sox, aiming for a second straight World Series title, beat the Los Angeles Angels in Game 1 of the National League division series, 4-1.

wing@donga.com