Cubs’ Dempster goes 6 strong innings

PHOENIX — Cubs starter Ryan Dempster had another strong outing Thursday, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits over 6 innings against Oakland.

“Probably this spring more than any other spring, I’ve just really been trying to establish my fastball as much as I can and trying to locate it as much as I can, and for the most part it’s been going that way,” Dempster said.

Kurt Suzuki hit a 2-run homer off Dempster in the second inning.

For the Athletics, Conor Jackson finally got some good results out of one of those good swings he has been taking.

Jackson doubled in the game-winning run with one out to give Oakland a 6-5 victory over the Cubs. Jackson’s game-ending hit came after Andy LaRoche singled in pinch runner Jemile Weeks.

Jackson, batting .114 this spring, figures to be a backup on the final roster while LaRoche continues to push for a utility job.

“Conor’s been swinging the bat well all spring, he just hasn’t had anything to show for it,” Athletics manager Bob Geren said. “That was nice to see him get a big one there.”

Geovany Soto led off the seventh inning with a solo homer, ending Oakland starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez’s shutout. After a walk, Gonzalez was lifted, and Alfonso Soriano belted reliever Brad Ziegler’s first pitch over the center-field wall for a 2-run home run.

Reed Johnson’s 2-run homer in the eighth was his fifth hit in 30 spring-training at-bats.

Oakland pushed across a run in the bottom of the eighth on 3 singles, including Matt Carson’s RBI hit off reliever Kerry Wood. Fellow reliever John Grabow, who is coming back from a left-knee injury, pitched a scoreless inning in his first outing since Feb. 27.