Cubs Resign Ryan Dempster

The Chicago Cubs have officicialy resigned Ryan Dempster.

Dempster and the Cubs agreed to a $52 million, four-year contract that includes a player option for 2012.

Dempster was 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA for the Cubs last season.

Ryan Dempster made a successful transition from closing to starting last season, the most difficult change a pitcher can make. I'm glad to see the Cubs kept their rotation in check, even if their bullpen is a questionmark now that Kerry Wood is gone.

Soriano powers Cubs to sixth straight win

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Alfonso Soriano homered and drove in three runs Saturday to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 for their sixth straight win.

The NL Central-leading Cubs improved to 25-8 at Wrigley Field this season and handed the Rockies their sixth straight loss.

With the wind blowing out at 14 mph and gusting up to 20 mph, balls again had a jet stream to ride over the fence. The teams combined for seven homers Friday—four by Chicago and three by Colorado—and four more went out Saturday, three by the Rockies.

Ryan Dempster (7-2) lasted five innings and struggled with his command, but got the win, giving up three hits and three runs with four walks and a hit batter.

Kerry Wood Goes One Inning, Gets Win as Cubs Beat St. Louis 3-2 in Game One of Doubleheader

Kerry Wood struck out one in a perfect seventh in relief of Ted Lilly, who worked six innings and gave up two runs and four hits. It was Wood's first victory since May 29, 2006.

The third-place Cardinals dropped seven games behind the first-place Cubs in the NL Central, all but eliminating the defending World Series champions from the division race. Before the losing streak began, they were one game out of first place.

Braden Looper threw seven dominant innings and Jim Edmonds hit a two-run double for the Cardinals, mired in their longest losing streak since a 10-game skid in 1980.

The Cubs are 10-4 against the Cardinals, including 6-1 at Busch Stadium. The game was a makeup of a postponement the day after the death of Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock on April 29, and drew a season-best sellout crowd of 45,918, including a vociferous Cubs contingent.

Pinch-hitter Cliff Floyd drew a leadoff walk and Sam Fuld pinch-ran before Soriano hit his 26th homer into the left-field stands on a 3-2 pitch from Ryan Franklin. Soriano has two homers in the last three games, and eight in the last 18 games since returning from the 15-day disabled list for a strained right quad

Dempster allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning while pitching with a four-run ninth-inning lead on Friday, but still got the save. The save was his 27th in 30 chances.

Cubs Win Again! They now have a two game lead over Milwaukee! Game Two of the doubleheader is later tonight. Sean Marshall is on the mound for the Cubs and Joel Piniero is on the mound for St. Louis.