Cubs' eight-run seventh just reward for Dempster
MIAMI - OK, so it wasn't on the scale of that little 8-run inning the Marlins dropped on the Cubs a few years ago in that one playoff game, but the 8-spot the Cubs put up in Sunday's seventh was big in its own context.
After looking sleepy on this hot and sticky South Florida afternoon, the Cubs suddenly came alive in the seventh, sending 12 men to the plate and getting not 1, not 2, but 3 bases-loaded doubles to rally from a 2-0 deficit and fly past the Marlins for a 9-2 victory.
The first-place Cubs (76-48) took two of three from the Marlins, finished the road trip 5-1 and won their sixth straight series heading into Tuesday's homecoming against the Cincinnati Reds.
And they did it all in one late inning after leaving a combined six men on base through the first four.
"Three bases-loaded doubles, you don't see that often," manager Lou Piniella said. "We looked up at the board, and there were a lot of zeros up there with one big '8,' and we added 1 in the eighth."
The big rally not only got starting pitcher Ryan Dempster off the hook for a loss, it lifted the de facto ace of the staff to his 14th victory against 5 losses.
Dempster teetered on the brink of coming out in the sixth, but he was able to strand the bases loaded.
"It was a grind mentally and physically to bear down and make pitches," Dempster said. "I just felt deep down inside that if I could just keep them there, somehow keep them from scoring any more runs, that we'd have a chance to come back and win it and not let it get out of hand."
The Marlins scored single runs in the third and sixth against Dempster, who struck out 10.
The Cubs began their seventh-inning assault against Florida starter Chris Volstad and continued it against Renyel Pinto, a former Cubs farmhand. Mike Fontenot led off with a double and scored on Alfonso Soriano's 2-run, bases-loaded double.
After the Cubs reloaded the bases, Aramis Ramirez doubled home 2 more ahead of Kosuke Fukudome's sacrifice fly. Reed Johnson later cleaned up the bases with a 3-run double.
"It was the same situation last night," Johnson said of the Cubs' 2-1 loss. "We had some guys on, and we just weren't able to cash in.
"That was the difference today. We were able to get those guys in. Sori gets a big hit. Ramy gets a big hit. When we get those guys rolling, we're pretty tough to beat."
The Cubs seemed most happy for Dempster, whom Piniella said is throwing the ball as well now as he did earlier this season.
"I feel like it's better now (than) April," said Dempster, who has a 2.92 ERA. "I feel like I'm getting away with pitches I wasn't necessarily getting away with then just because, stuff wise, my fastball's got good life on it. My slider and my splitter are both pitches I'm able to throw for strikes and also to strike guys out.
"It's easy to sit in your chair and pump your chest out and not continue to work hard. Ultimately, it comes down to your next start."