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Dempster, Ramirez Lead Cubs to Sweep of White Sox

Posted on: Monday, 23 June 2008, 03:00 CDT

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Aramis Ramirez finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and Ryan Dempster hurled eight-plus innings to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox, completing the three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.

Derrek Lee added two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Cubs, who had lost three in a row coming into the series and upped their major-league best home mark to 32-8. Eric Patterson hit safely twice, homered, walked twice and scored three times.

Dempster (9-2) won his fourth consecutive decision by allowing 10 hits and one run in his outing, striking out four with one walk. He improved to 9-0 this season at Wrigley.

"It's a comforting feeling. For whatever reason, guys enjoy pitching well here," Dempster noted. "Guys hit well here. Guys field well here. It's a little bit of everything."

Joe Crede knocked in the lone run for the White Sox, who have dropped five of eight. Orlando Cabrera and Jermaine Dye each had two hits in defeat.

"They kicked our butt," griped Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "They played better than we did. They hit better than we did. They pitched better than we did. Not a lot you can say. They outperformed us."

Javier Vazquez (7-6) took the loss by allowing five hits and five runs -- four earned -- with four strikeouts and five walks over six full innings.

The White Sox finally solved Dempster in the seventh, when Dye laced a leadoff double and scored on Crede's one out single. However, the righty bore down and retired Dewayne Wise and Alexei Ramirez on fly outs.

Octavio Dotel surrendered the Cubs' sixth run in the home half, allowing a one-out walk to Lee followed by a run-scoring double from Aramis Ramirez.

Although pinch-hitter Jim Thome began the eighth with a double to right, Dempster finished off the frame by retiring the next three batters without allowing Thome to advance.

Lee doubled off the ivy in right with two down in the bottom of the frame to score Patterson for a 7-1 game, but Dempster finally faltered in the ninth, allowing two hits to start the inning.

Bob Howry got the nod and locked up the game by inducing a pop out from Crede, fanning Wise, and getting Alexei Ramirez to ground into a fielder's choice.

"I would have loved to finish it, but I had to get the leadoff guy out and the next guy out," Dempster said. "I don't think my fastball command has ever been as good as it is now. That just comes with work and keeping a consistent delivery."

The Cubs got on the board in their first turn at the plate.

Kosuke Fukudome walked and stole second, and Patterson followed by working a walk. Lee singled to right to plate one run, then Sox shortstop Cabrera mishandled Wise's relay throw, allowing Patterson to score.

Fukudome was hit by a pitch to start the Cubs' fifth, and that proved costly as Patterson launched his first big-league homer into the basket in right for a 4-0 advantage. Two batters later, Aramis Ramirez drilled a pitch into the left-field bleachers.

Game Notes

The Cubs have won 14 straight home games, the first time they accomplished the feat since 1936...The Cubs have also won eight of the last nine meetings with the White Sox...Aramis Ramirez hit four home runs in the series and drove in eight runs...The White Sox fell to 7-5 in interleague play in 2008, with three more games against the Cubs at home next weekend.

06/23 00:52:55 ET

Source: The Sports Network

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