Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies Live Streaming

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1:05 pm EDT Thu May 20, 2010

Ryan Dempster has lasted at least seven innings in six consecutive outings, held opponents to a batting average just north of .200 and racked up strikeouts at a rate unprecedented in his starting career. All he has to show for those accomplishments is one win. Dempster’s four straight losses haven’t included much help from his offense, something he hopes will change Thursday afternoon as he tries to pitch the visiting Chicago Cubs to a season-high fifth straight victory and a two-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. Dempster hasn’t been spotless since April 18, but his 3.25 ERA, .206 opponents’ average and 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings - his highest rate as a starter - suggest a better fate than a 1-4 record and four consecutive defeats.

In only one of those outings have the Cubs scored more than three runs while Dempster’s been pitching, an 8-1 win in Milwaukee on April 23. Four seems to be the magic number for the right-hander - he’s 25-0 when Chicago provides that many runs to work with when he’s in the game since Dempster joined the rotation in 2008. In Dempster’s last six starts, Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez are hitting a combined .161. Dempster’s issues Saturday against Pittsburgh were self-inflicted, however. He gave up two hits and two walks in spotting the Pirates three runs in the first, then settled down to post six scoreless innings. The early damage cost him, though, in a 4-3 loss. Dempster, who has never started at Citizens Bank Park, is 0-1 with a 6.92 ERA in two starts against Philadelphia since 2008.