One year ago on Opening Day, a Cubs’ pitcher Ryan Dempster gave up six runs off six hits with four walks, earning a loss against the Pirates.
Today, like last year, Ryan Dempster opened the season for the Cubs with a loss. However, Dempster’s performance today was near perfect against the Nationals.
Facing the strikeout superstar Stephen Strasburg, Dempster struck out 10 batters allowing two hits in seven and two-thirds innings. He actually recorded twice the amount of strikeouts that Strasburg recorded (yet Sportscenter seems not to have noticed).
Dempster pitched a solid seven innings, and almost finished the eighth, before he was pulled in favor of Kerry Wood, a decision manager Dale Svevum likely would redo.
Officially, Ryan Dempster was charged with one run in the game. This appears to be his slight gaffe of the game.
In the eight inning, Ian Dresmond recorded a hit off of Dempster. Dempster would eventually get pulled and Dresmond would eventually score. However Dempster was pulled because of pitch count and Dresmond scored because Kerry Wood walked the next three consecutive batters, sending Dresmond home.
Wood walked Dresmond from first to home without recording an out, making the run hardly the fault of Dempster. But as stats go, Dempster was charged with the run. However he did not record a loss.
Let’s look at the pitching battle between Stephen Strasburg and Ryan Dempster.
Both pitched seven full innings and recorded one run. Dempster allowed three fewer hits, and Strasburg walked two fewer batters. The real difference comes in strike outs and Dempster proved dominant.
Pitching inside strikes and taking control with his cutter, fastball, splitter and slider, Ryan Dempster struck out twice as many batters (10 total) than Strasburg.
Even though the “W” flag isn’t flying over Wrigley Field, Ryan Dempster should be proud of his performance today. With more pitching like that and hopefully more offense, Chicago is bound for wins and lots of them.
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