Russell Martin hit a bases-loaded double to give the Dodgers a commanding 2-0 lead against the Chicago Cubs.

Manny Ramirez hit his second homer in as many nights as the Dodgers dominated in every department.

Rafael Furcal had three hits, drove in two runs and scored two runs for the Dodgers, who could clinch when the best-of-five series shifts to Los Angeles on Saturday.

The Cubs, who led the NL in wins in the regular season and were favourites to advance to the World Series, will need to become only the second team since the advent of the wild card to overcome a 2-0 deficit after dropping the first two games at home.

Chicago was let down by their defence in the fateful second inning when they allowed four unearned runs.

Andre Ethier and James Loney led off with singles and after Matt Kemp struck out, Blake DeWitt hit a grounder to second that Mark DeRosa failed to field cleanly, allowing Ethier to score the opening run.

Casey Blake then reached on first baseman Derrek Lee's error and after Chad Billingsley struck out, Furcal dropped down a bunt that got past Zambrano (0-1) and allowed the second run to score before Martin cleared the bases with a double into the left-centre field gap.

Billingsley (1-0) made the lead stand up with 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing five hits and one run while walking one and striking out seven.

Zambrano settled down after the second, allowing two more hits before being lifted with one out in the seventh. The burly right-hander was charged with seven runs - three earned - and six hits while walking two and striking out seven.

Ramirez, who is the career leader in post-season homers with 26, led off the fifth with a blast to straightaway centre field to increase the lead to 6-0.

Kemp added an RBI single in the seventh, Furcal and Ramirez added run-scoring hits in the eighth and Blake capped Los Angeles' outburst with an RBI single in the ninth.