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D-Backs pound Dempster early, post big win over Cubs

Apr 29, 2011 - 6:02 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Stephen Drew hit a grand slam four batters into the bottom of the first inning, as the Diamondbacks jumped all over Cubs starter Ryan Dempster on the way to an 11-2 victory in the opener of a four- game series.

Dempster (1-3) recorded only one out and faced 10 batters. He surrendered seven runs and four hits, walked four and hit a batter in the shortest start of his career.

Drew finished 2-for-5 with five RBI for Arizona, which got a two-run homer and three RBI from Miguel Montero. Chris Young went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI in the Diamondbacks' third win in four games.

Koyie Hill homered for the Cubs, who have dropped four in a row and six of seven.

Young began Arizona's first at-bat with a double to left, and Dempster followed by walking Kelly Johnson and hitting Justin Upton. Drew then ripped his first career grand slam to right-center.

"Just tried to get a really good pitch to drive," Drew said. "He threw it in, [and I] put a good swing on it."

Dempster retired Montero, but walked three consecutive batters before Diamondbacks pitcher Barry Enright hit an RBI single. Young smacked a two-run base hit to make it a 7-0 game and chase Dempster in favor of Justin Berg.

"It didn't really start out like I dreamt it up last night," Dempster said. "Just got to continue to make pitches and go from there."

The outburst provided plenty of cushion for Enright (1-2), who gave up two runs on five hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings.

Montero tacked on an RBI single in the second, and after Hill began the third with his first homer of the season, Montero blasted a two-run shot to right to make it a 10-1 game.

The teams traded runs in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Reed Johnson hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Drew plated a run with a groundout in the home half.

Game Notes

Dempster's previous shortest start came on October 5, 2001, when he pitched for Florida and allowed seven runs in two-thirds of an inning during a 20-3 loss to Atlanta...Despite the seven-run inning, Arizona went 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position.