Cubs fry Fish

Baseball Betting Lines

08/17/2008 - Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reed Johnson's three-run double highlighted an eight-run seventh inning, as the Chicago Cubs pounded the Florida Marlins, 9-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set from Dolphin Stadium.

Johnson finished 4-for-5 and scored a run for the Cubs, who have won nine of their last 11 games. Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano each drove in two runs.

Ryan Dempster (14-5) gave up two runs on five hits and struck out 10 batters over six innings to pick up the win. The 31-year-old is one victory shy of tying his career-high set in 2001 with Florida.

Jorge Cantu had two hits and Luis Gonzalez added an RBI double for Florida, which has dropped four of its last five contests and trail New York by 4 1/2 games for first place in the NL East after the Mets blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0, on Sunday, their sixth straight victory.

Chris Volstad allowed two runs on six hits in six-plus innings, but did not receive a decision. Renyel Pinto (2-5) was victimized for five runs on two hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning and took the loss.

The Cubs erupted for eight runs in the seventh to erase a 2-0 deficit. Mike Fontenot began the frame with a double and Johnson singled to chase Volstad from the game. However, the Marlins bullpen came completely unglued. Pinto came on and walked pinch-hitter Mark DeRosa to load the bases, bringing up Soriano. The All-Star outfielder ripped a sinking liner past the glove of a sliding Gonzalez in left for a two-run double.

One out later, Pinto intentionally walked Derrek Lee to reload the bases for Ramirez, who gave the visitors the lead with a two-run double. Kosuke Fukudome's sacrifice fly knocked in the Cubs' fifth run. After Geovany Soto was given a free pass to first, Logan Kensing took over on the mound and walked pinch-hitter Ronny Cedeno before Johnson punched a bases-clearing double to the gap in left-center for an 8-2 Cubs lead.

The Cubs tacked on another run in the ninth on DeRosa's sac fly.

Chicago had two runners reach base in each of the first three frames, but the 16th overall pick in the 2005 draft managed to work out of trouble. The Marlins then scratched out a run in their half of the third. Cody Ross tripled off the left-field wall to begin the inning and scored on a John Baker groundout.

Although the Fish added a run in the sixth, the damage could have been much worse as they left the bases loaded. Hanley Ramirez drew a lead off walk and Gonzalez stroked a double for a 2-0 Marlins advantage. Cantu then slapped a single the other way and Jeremy Hermida was intentionally walked with two outs to load the bases for Ross, who lined out to Johnson in center.

Game Notes

The start of the game was delayed 22 minutes because of rain...Dempster struck out at least 10 batters for the 10th time in his career...Chicago won the season series, 4-3...Florida's Mike Jacobs and Dan Uggla both struck out four times.