Tue Jul 8 23:57:05 2008

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Dempster moves to 10-0 at home as Cubs beat Reds

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Ryan Dempster pitched seven strong innings to remain unbeaten at home and Mike Fontenot belted a two-run homer, as the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, 7-3, capping a Tuesday in which Chicago made a push to bolster its pitching staff.

Earlier in the day, the Cubs acquired pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for pitcher Sean Gallagher, outfielder Matt Murton, infielder Eric Patterson and catcher Josh Donaldson.

Dempster (10-3) yielded one run on just two hits, walking four while striking out five for the Cubs, who have won four of their last six games. He is the first Cubs starter to win his first 10 decisions at home since Rick Reuschel did it in 1977.

Geovany Soto also hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who have won 16 of their last 18 at home with the only two losses coming to the Baltimore Orioles.

Aaron Harang (3-11) went 4 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on five hits and seven walks while striking out six for the Reds, who had a four-game winning streak halted.

Jeff Keppinger had two of Cincinnati's five hits and scored once, while Javier Valentin's pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth was the only extra base hit for the visitors.

Aramis Ramirez tripled for Chicago to lead off the second and scored on a Soto sacrifice fly one batter later.

Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly one inning later to score Ryan Theriot.

The Reds cut the deficit in half when Paul Bako drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to score Ken Griffey, Jr. Griffey led off the inning with a walk before Adam Dunn and Joey Votto drew one and two-out walks, respectively. Harang struck out to end the inning.

The Cubs extended their lead to 6-1 with homers in the fourth and fifth. Fontenot's sixth homer scored Mark DeRosa, who led off the fourth with a walk, before Soto's 16th blast one inning later also scored Derrek Lee, who walked to lead off the inning before stealing second on a Ramirez strikeout.

A Jeremy Affeldt wild pitch in the sixth scored Fontenot for a 7-1 lead. Fontenot led off the inning with a double before Dempster walked. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball before the wild pitch.

The Reds picked up a pair of runs in the ninth on Valentin's double and an RBI groundout from Jerry Hairston Jr.

Game Notes

Besides Reuschel and Dempster, only two other Cubs have won at least 10 straight decisions to start a season at Wrigley: Bill C. Lee in 1936 (11-0) and Bob Rush in 1956 (10-0).