The NLDS didnt’ get off to the start that Cubs fans were hoping for as the Cubs lost to the Dodgers on Wednesday night by the score of 7-2. If you are like me, you are thinking back to last year against the Diamondbacks when the Cubs were swept in the first round. I’m trying to stay positive but I just don’t know what to expect Thursday night when the two teams play game two.

Ryan Dempster was pretty bad last night no matter how you look at it. To be honest, the Dodgers should have probably scored ten runs off the Cubs last night as Dempster gave up seven walks and worked out of almost every jam he got into. The one jam he didnt’ get out of was in the fifth inning when he walked three batters and then James Loney hit a grand slam to put the Dodgers ahead 4-2. I have to question if Dempster should have even been in the game at that point. You have Sean Marshall up in the pen who could have came in to face the left handed hitting Loney if you needed to. Just one of those movs that you question at this point in the season.

Manny Ramirez added a solo home run off of Marshall in the seventh inning. The curveball wasn’t a bad pitch at all, Manny just golfed it out. Jason Marquis also gave up a solo home run in the game as Russell Martin took him deep in the ninth inning. Jeff Samardzija gave up a rbi single in the eighth inning as well as all four Cubs pitchers to see action were charged with atleast one run.

The Cubs offense was TERRIBLE. The only runs they scored came in the second inning when Mark DeRosa hit a two run home run off of Derrek Lowe. At that time it put the Cubs up 2-0 and things were looking good. However the Cubs wouldn’t score another run. Alfonso Soriano went 0-5, Kosuke Fukudome 0-4, Geovony Soto 0-3. There was just no production for the Cubs. Soriano was swining at everything no matter where it was as he struck out two times and left three runners on base.

If the Cubs want to win game two of the series they are going to have to swing the bats better then they did in game one. You have to get some production of Soriano at the top of the order. I don’t like Fukudome in the number two spot and hopefully he will be on the bench for game two. Lee needs to hit for power and not ground into double plays as well.

Carlos Zambrano will be taking the mound for the Cubs on Thursday night and who knows what we will get out of him. Hopefuly he will be calmed down and not get into early trouble where his emotions get the best of him. This is pretty much a must win for the Cubs.

What are everyone’s thoughts on game two? Will Zambrano step up and get the job done?