Cubs 4, Nationals 0
Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis went toe-to-toe in a pitching duel before rookie Starlin Castro delivered an eighth-inning RBI double as the Chicago Cubs recorded a 4-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday to complete the three-game sweep.
Marquis walked Tyler Colvin to begin the bottom of the eighth and was then replaced by Tyler Clippard. Colvin stole second on Clippard’s first pitch to set up Castro’s double.
Aramis Ramirez clubbed his 20th home run, a solo shot, before Clippard could get out of the inning. Alfonso Soriano belted his 21st home run in the top of the ninth.
Ryan Dempster (12-8) went seven innings on just 79 pitches, blanking the Nationals while allowing only two hits.
Marquis (0-6) deserved a better fate in this one. The hurler tossed 7 1/3 innings giving up one run and four hits to take the loss.
Andrew Cashner came on to work the eighth and struck out two before Carlos Marmol came on to close out the ninth inning.