Nam Y. Huh / AP

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano wipes his face during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. The Cubs allowed five runs in the inning.

With the crowd chanting “Let’s Go Z,” Zambrano got a third strike past Matt Kemp for the first out. Blake DeWitt hit a hard grounder to second that was made for a double play, but DeRosa fumbled it — the error allowing Ethier to score and putting runners at first and second.

Next, Lee muffed Casey Blake’s grounder to first for another error, loading the bases before Billingsley struck out. But Rafael Furcal dragged a bunt past the pitcher’s mound toward second and beat DeRosa’s throw for an RBI single and a 2-0 lead.

With the bases still loaded, Martin drove a three-run double to left-center and a crowd of 42,136 at Wrigley Field fell silent as L.A. went ahead 5-0.

“It allowed me to be more aggressive,” Billingsley said. “I didn’t have to be too fine and I was still attacking hitters and keeping them off balance. That was a big thing for me to get the off-speed across.”

Chicago’s third error, this one on third baseman Aramis Ramirez, allowed Billingsley to reach in the fourth.

Manny Ramirez hit a solo shot in the fifth and Kemp had an RBI double off Neal Cotts in the seventh to make it 7-0.

Zambrano worked 6 1-3 innings, giving up seven runs — three earned — with seven strikeouts.

In the fifth, Ramirez leaned into the ivy-covered wall in left field to catch Jim Edmonds’ fly. He flipped the ball to center fielder Kemp, who playfully slapped Ramirez on the shoulder.

Furcal and Ramirez each had an RBI single in the eighth.

The Cubs’ postseason losing streak dates to the 2003 NLCS. They squandered a 3-1 lead against Florida, losing Game 6 when they were five outs from the World Series. Chicago dropped three straight to Arizona in the first round last year and now is in jeopardy of being swept again.

Chicago ended the shutout bid in the seventh when DeRosa and Edmonds hit consecutive two-out doubles. After Geovany Soto singled to make it first and third, Cory Wade came in to retire Kosuke Fukudome.

DeRosa added a two-run double in the ninth.

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