If the Chicago Cubs don't start scoring a few more runs, the pitching efforts of starter Ryan Dempster will continue to be for naught.
The right-hander from Gibsons has looked every bit the star in his first two outings of the year, a pair of 2-1 defeats to the Washington Nationals on opening day April 5, and to the Milwaukee Brewers on April 11.
Dempster pitched into the eighth inning allowing only one run on two hits while striking out 10 in the game against the Nationals, but was tagged with the no decision as the Cubs bullpen gave up the winning run in the ninth.
He took the tough loss against the Brewers pitching into the seventh allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts. In the game, he registered his 1,000th strikeout as a Cub.
On Tuesday night, the Cubs lost 5-2 in Miami to the Marlins.
Dempster went six innings allowing two runs, both unearned after he made an errant throw to first base on a grounder, on only four hits. He struck out eight and walked two lowering his season ERA to 1.33. He left the game with the game tied 2-2, but the Marlins scored three runs in the seventh inning off the Cubs bullpen to lose the game.
''I wish I could have thrown the ball better to first base,'' he said in an interview with YahooSports. ''The results would have probably been different.''
Dempster is 0-1 on the season and is winless in 12 starts dating back to Aug. 16.
The Cubs, who fell to 3-8 on the season, have scored a total of four runs in Dempster's three starts this year.
Dempster's next turn in the rotation should come Sunday when the Cubs return home to face the Cincinnati Reds.
