MIAMI -- Carlos Zambrano can't afford to make any mistakes in Game 5 Sunday.

The young right-hander will start for the Chicago Cubs against the Florida Marlins in what could be the deciding game in the National League Championship Series.

The Cubs have a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and can advance to the World Series for the first time since 1945 with a win.

Cubs manager Dusty Baker planned to talk to Zambrano before the game but wasn't planning on overloading the 23-year-old with words of wisdom.

"I'll talk to Carlos briefly. I'm not going to make a big deal out of it," Baker said. "I'll think of something [Saturday night]."

Baker has done his best to limit the worries placed on the animated and emotional Zambrano.

"The main thing you have to do is realize that the only pressure is the pressure you put on yourself," Baker said. "You can't control the pressure that other people put on you. You can't control the pressure the world puts on you. As long as you don't put pressure on yourself, then you really don't feel pressure.

Carlos Zambrano   /   P
	Height: 6'5" Weight: 245 Bats/Throws: B/R More info: Player page Stats Splits Cubs site

"I told him the only people you have to satisfy are God, family and yourself because those are the only ones you can't fool."

In Game 1 of the NLCS, Zambrano had trouble with his location. In the third inning, he served up three home runs -- a three-run shot to Ivan Rodriguez and back-to-back solo homers by Miguel Cabrera and Juan Encarnacion.

What was so unusual is that Zambrano had given up nine home runs in 214 innings in the season.

"He just made mistakes over the plate," Cubs catcher Damian Miller said of the right-hander. "He's a sinker, ground-ball pitcher and he left the ball up."

Zambrano exited after giving up six runs -- five earned -- on nine hits over six innings.

"I wasn't very good today," Zambrano said after the game. "They hit a lot of pitches, they made the adjustment and they hit it out of the ballpark."

Now it's up to Zambrano to make an adjustment.

"I think the last time pitching against the Marlins, I made a couple mistakes and I paid for that," he said Saturday. "I have to throw my fastball and use more of my slider and my offspeed [pitches] and try to get hitters out.

"It's a lot different in this ballpark because it's hard to hit in this ballpark," he said of Pro Player Stadium. "And the ball was flying the other day [at Wrigley Field]. I have to forget about that and be ready for [Sunday]."

The right-hander has one win in his last eight starts, including his two other postseason games. Zambrano was one of the big reasons the Cubs won the NL Central when he opened the second half strong, winning six of seven.

Against the Marlins this year, he gave up one earned run over 12 1/3 innings and was 1-0 in two starts. But the Florida team the Cubs played in July is nothing like the October version.

And having 65,000 teal-covered fans waving towels can be a little intimidating.

"It's a little bit different because every pitch counts here," Zambrano said of the postseason. "You have to go out there and be aggressive, throw the ball good. And there's no mistakes in the postseason. A little mistake you make out there and you will pay for that."

He dismisses any talk that he's nervous. It's Zambrano's first postseason but he's grown up with each game. A big reason for that is Baker, who has made the Venezuelan feel just as important as the superhyped Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.

Mark Prior   /   P
	Height: 6'5" Weight: 220 Bats/Throws: R/R More info: Player page Stats Splits Cubs site

"I was reading the paper the other day and I was feeling good when [Baker] said that he came here with four pitchers and the four pitchers have helped him to be here in the postseason," Zambrano said. "It's great to see that in the paper, to hear that from your manager."

Baker has made it clear he needs all four -- Wood, Prior, Zambrano and Saturday's starter Matt Clement -- for the Cubs to advance. There were whispers that the Cubs might move Prior up for Sunday's game on short rest; however, that's not Baker's style and the manager said Saturday it was never a consideration.

"I didn't want to go with the kid on short rest," Baker said of Prior. "Plus, it's Zambrano's turn. This guy has pitched well all year except for the last few starts. And just like basketball, it's the manager's decision.

"I was going to go with Zambrano [all the time]," he said. "I just didn't tell [the media]. Suspense is good sometimes."

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.