Dodgers defeated without Martin

CHICAGO -- The result of Wednesday’s most important development for the Dodgers -- more important than their 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field -- won’t be known until today’s pregame warmups.

Russell Martin didn’t play Wednesday, sent instead to undergo what the club called a precautionary MRI exam on his left knee. The results of the test indicated that Martin had a mildly sprained ligament on the outside of his knee and the decision whether to play him in the final game of the four-game series won’t be made until he tests it on the field.

The All-Star catcher landed awkwardly in a failed attempt to avoid a tag at the plate in the eighth inning Tuesday, but caught the last two innings of the win.

“My leg was kind of tucked under me,” Martin said. “My cleat kind of got stuck. Instead of my knee folding back, it kind of folded to the side.”

But the early signs are encouraging for Martin, who is listed as day to day.

Trainer Stan Conte said the ligament wasn’t swollen and Martin said he was able to squat on Wednesday, adding that he had a full range of motion.

“If I can go, I can go,” Martin said. “We’ll see tomorrow.”

Martin’s condition could be critical to a team that finds itself four games back of Arizona in the National League West and three games back of San Diego for the wild card.

Martin wasn’t the only notable absence from the Dodgers in the loss, as David Wells was unavailable to pitch because he was serving a seven-game suspension.

Pitching in place of Wells was Eric Stults, who hadn’t thrown to batters in eight days and had spent the last few days home in Indiana playing catch with his teenage brother-in-law.

Stults flew early to the Midwest upon being optioned to triple-A Las Vegas last week, aware that he would be required to fill in for Wells.

His early arrival to the region did him little good, as he gave up eight hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings.

“Physically, I felt good, but I did feel a little rusty,” Stults said. “That could be a reason my changeup wasn’t effective.”

Such as when Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run home run to left to put the Cubs ahead 3-0 in the third inning.

When Dodgers Manager Grady Little was asked whether he considered walking Ramirez with first base open and two out, he replied, “That was just a unique way we have of pitching around him. The ball he threw just cut back over the plate and shot out of here like a rocket.”

Little paused, then continued, “Our plan was to pitch him carefully.”

The Dodgers got a run back in the fifth to close the gap to 3-1 when a sacrifice fly by Rafael Furcal drove in Mike Lieberthal, but the Cubs scored in the bottom of the inning on an errant throw by right fielder Matt Kemp.

Kemp’s throw home on a single by Derrek Lee sailed high and wide, then took an angled bounce off the brick backstop, which allowed Mark DeRosa to score.

Kemp said the ball was wet, but was clearly irritated to discuss the matter.

“What a dumb question,” he said.

The Dodgers were held to two runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings by Ted Lilly (14-7).

The Cubs blew the game open in a four-run eighth inning in which the Dodgers used three pitchers: Jonathan Meloan, Mark Hendrickson and Roberto Hernandez.

For the 42-year old Hernandez, the game was the 1,006th of his career, moving him into sole possession of 10th place all-time among pitchers.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com