Cubs fans are loyal but disappointed

Seeing their Cubs lose the first two games to the Dodgers in the National League division series was no less agonizing for Cubs fans in Southern California than for those at Wrigley Field.

Nonetheless, a loyal contingent of Chicago fans arrived at Dodger Stadium for Saturday's Game 3 to support the Cubs at least one more time this season.

"Look, it's 100 years in the making, we're due, it's happening tonight," said Mark Conley of Hermosa Beach, referring to how the Cubs haven't won the World Series in a century.

"It's surprising that the Dodgers did take such a strong lead in Chicago," Conley said as the stadium loudspeaker played -- what else -- "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago.

Nicole Pontillo of Burridge, Ill., watched the Cubs' losses up close at Wrigley, then flew to Los Angeles and snapped pictures of her favorite Cubs while they took batting practice Saturday.

"It's disappointing, but we're good fans and we believe it's going to happen this year, so that's why we're here," she said.

Little help?

Cubs Manager Lou Piniella noted before the game that he had yet to savor a postseason win despite guiding the team to the playoffs the last two seasons.

The Cubs were swept in the division series last year by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"I've managed this team now for five games in postseason and we're 0-5 and we've scored 11 runs in the five games that I've managed," he said.

"It's hard to win during the season when you score 11 runs in five games," Piniella said. "In postseason, you're facing better offenses, it makes it that much harder."

In any case, the Cubs last week said they exercised an option to have Piniella keep managing the team through 2010, saying he "brings a humble, confident swagger" to the club.

Attention getter

Ted Lilly, the Cubs' 17-game winner who hadn't started in the postseason this year, said the Dodgers' Manny Ramirez gets his attention in more ways than one.

"There's no question that when he steps in the box, you kind of -- you enjoy it, I guess," said Lilly, a Torrance native. "The challenge is there to face one of the best in the game."

Short hops

Heading into Saturday's game, Piniella and Dodgers Manager Joe Torre had combined to manage 7,267 regular-season games in the majors, the most for two skippers opposing each other in the postseason. . . . Piniella and Torre also were the only opposing NLDS managers who had at least 1,700 wins as managers and 1,700 hits as players. . . . With his inning of relief work Thursday, Kerry Wood became the 14th Cub to appear in four different postseasons and the first since Stan Hack in 1945.

james.peltz@latimes.com