Joe Torre's winning streak continues

The Dodgers were more than three hours away from facing the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium in Game 3 of their National League division series, but Torre was already a winner.

Vineyard Haven, a 2-year-old colt co-owned by Torre, won the Grade I, $400,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, earning an automatic berth into the $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.

"Hopefully, it's a good sign," Torre said.

Up 2-0 in the best-of-five series, the Dodgers go into the game tonight one victory away from winning their first playoff series in 20 years.

Pitching for the Dodgers will be Hiroki Kuroda, who will be in his first playoff game in 12 years as a professional player. Kuroda threw a four-hit, complete-game shutout when he faced the Cubs in Dodger Stadium on June 6.

The Cubs will counter with Rich Harden, who was acquired in a trade with Oakland on July 8.

The lineups:

Cubs - Alfonso Soriano LF, Mike Fontenot 2B, Derrek Lee 1B, Aramis Ramirez 3B, Geovany Soto C, Jim Edmonds CF, Mark DeRosa RF, Ryan Theriot SS, Rich Harden P.

Dodgers - Rafael Furcal SS, Russell Martin C, Manny Ramirez LF, Andre Ethier RF, James Loney 1B, Matt Kemp CF, Blake DeWitt 2B, Casey Blake 3B, Hiroki Kuroda P.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com