Dempster pitches 5-hitter to lead Cubs

[September 30, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Ryan Dempster pitched a five-hitter for his third career shutout, Jeff Baker had a two-run double and the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on Tuesday night.

Derrek Lee added a two-run single for the Cubs, who have won seven of nine games. The Cubs (82-74) guaranteed a winning record for the third straight season. It's only the second time in the last 70 years the Cubs have had three or more consecutive winning seasons.

Dempster struck out six and walked two. He retired the ninth inning in order to record his first shutout since July 3, 2001, against the Montreal Expos, when he was a member of the Florida Marlins.

With the victory, Dempster (11-8) became the second active pitcher with at least 87 wins and 87 saves. John Smoltz has 213 wins and 154 saves.

Dempster is finishing the season strong. He is 5-1 in his last six decisions and makes his last start Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Pirates starter Kevin Hart (4-9) made his second start against his former team since being acquired from the Cubs in a five-player deal July 30. The troubles continued from the first inning for Hart, who is 1-8 in 10 starts since being acquired from the Cubs.

The Pirates, who were shutout for the 17th time this season, have dropped 17 of its last 18 road games.

Ryan Theriot led off the first inning with a walk off Hart, then went to third on Kosuke Fukudome's double. One out later, Micah Hoffpauir hit a bouncer to first baseman Garrett Jones. Jones made a low a flip to Hart, who was running to first to cover the base but Hart dropped the ball and was charged with an error as Theriot scored. Baker followed with a two-run double to give the Cubs an early 3-0 lead.

After Pirates second baseman Delwyn Young committed the Pirates' third error of the game to load the bases in the fourth inning, Lee hit a two-run single and Hoffpauir drove in a run on a fielder's choice.

Hart allowed six runs, three earned on six hits in four innings.

NOTES: Before the game, Cubs manager Lou Piniella took exception to a column questioning his passion as a manager. "We work exceedingly hard here as a staff and if you want to stick around and be here til 1 O'clock, 1:30 in the morning, when the parking lot is closed when we're having meetings on how to get our team better you will see that we're very interested and take a lot of pride in what we do," he said. ... Cubs reliever Kevin Gregg is out of for the season with cracked rib cartilage. ... Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez missed the game with a sore shoulder. ... The Pirates claimed right-handed reliever Anthony Claggett off waivers from the New York Yankees. ... The Cubs last had six consecutive winning seasons between 1967-72.

[Associated Press]

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