The Chicago Cubs lost the first game in the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks 3 - 1.  Carlos Zambrano pictched six strong innings while giving up one home run.  Chris Marmol then came out to pitch and gave up to runs on one hit and a home run.  The Arizona Diamondbacks have found a way to win all year long while having no big name superstar, yet their solid fundamentals and great baserunning leaves little room for error as the Cubs found out tonight.

Brandon Webb won the pitching duel in the desert, winning the first game of the NLCS.

Webb shut down the Chicago Cubs with his superb sinker, and the Arizona Diamondbacks got home runs from two of their kids in a 3-1 victory Wednesday night.

Stephen Drew homered in the fourth off Chicago's Carlos Zambrano, who was pulled after six innings and only 85 pitches.

Right after he left, Mark Reynolds homered on the fourth pitch from reliever Carlos Marmol to break a 1-all tie in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Conor Jackson added a sacrifice fly, and the Diamondbacks got two scoreless innings from their bullpen.

Webb, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, allowed four hits and struck out nine over seven outstanding innings in his postseason debut. He walked three and hit a batters. 

 "The most exciting game so far," Webb said. "I was able to keep them off-balance. I had pretty good stuff tonight, great off-speed. Had some great strikeouts, key situations."

Game 2 is Thursday night, with Ted Lilly on the mound for Chicago against Doug Davis.

Zambrano gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked one before he was pulled by manager Lou Piniella in a move that could be questioned. Before the game, Piniella said he likely would limit Zambrano's pitch count because he would probably bring him back on three days' rest to pitch Game 4 on Sunday.

Piniella said he trusted his bullpen to take over. But planning for Game 4 might have cost the Cubs in Game 1.

The showdown between 18-game winners was as advertised, with Zambrano matching Webb pitch for pitch through six innings.

With Zambrano gone, the Diamondbacks went ahead in the seventh. Reynolds hit Marmol's 2-1 pitch just over the left-field fence for a 2-1 lead. Chris Snyder walked and went to third on Augie Ojeda's single before Jackson came through while batting for Webb.

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