Dempster wins 13th as Cubs top Cards

Righty moves to 11-2 at Wrigley; defense shines vs. rival

CHICAGO -- Mark DeRosa and Ronny Cedeno each drove in two runs to back Ryan Dempster and lift the Cubs to a 6-2 victory Sunday night over the St. Louis Cardinals. With the win, Chicago maintained its four-game lead in the National League Central.

Dempster (13-5) struck out six and gave up six hits over 6 2/3 innings to improve to 11-2 at Wrigley Field. The Cubs took the series, two games to one, and dropped the Cardinals seven games back in the standings.

Aramis Ramirez's hustle accounted for the Cubs' first run. He singled to lead off the second and scampered to second on a fielding error by right fielder Ryan Ludwick. Ramirez advanced on Jim Edmonds' fly ball to deep center and scored on DeRosa's sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals had runners at second and third in the fourth with two outs, but Edmonds made a diving catch of Chris Carpenter's fly ball to end the inning. Dempster's hockey background paid off in the St. Louis fifth when he snared Ludwick's liner with a kick save on the mound and recovered in time to throw him out, stranding two more.

The Cubs sent eight batters to the plate in a five-run sixth. Alfonso Soriano doubled to lead off the Chicago sixth, advanced on a ground out, and scored on Derrek Lee's single. Ramirez walked, and Carpenter (0-1) threw two pitches to Edmonds, the second low and inside. Carpenter called the catcher to the mound, then left the game with a strained right triceps.

Ron Villone came in, and Edmonds hit a ball that scooted through second baseman Adam Kennedy's legs, allowing Lee to score. DeRosa added an RBI single, Geovany Soto singled, and both scored on Ronny Cedeno's double to make it 6-0.

---Carrie Muskat MLB.com