Dempster strong as Cubs top Twins
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Snakebitten for nearly 10 months, Ryan Dempster has won consecutive starts on the heels of an 18-start winless streak.
The Canadian-born hurler tossed eight shutout innings as the Chicago Cubs downed the Minnesota Twins, 8-2, in the finale of a three-game interleague series.
Dempster (2-3) fanned six and surrendered four hits and a walk for the Cubs, who had lost four in a row and eight of their last nine coming in.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}David DeJesus, Alfonso Soriano, Jeff Baker, Joe Mather and Darwin Barney recorded an RBI apiece while Reed Johnson and Starlin Castro each registered two hits and a pair of runs scored.
Francisco Liriano (1-7) was touched for four runs on four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings for the Twins, who had won six of their last seven entering the contest.