MLB: Chicago Cubs 4, Washington 3

CHICAGO, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Ryan Dempster allowed three hits over seven innings Thursday and was supported by back-to-back home runs in a 4-3 Chicago Cubs' win over Washington.

Dempster improved to 9-1 in his career versus the Nationals and is 10-8 on the season. He gave up a home run to Ryan Zimmerman in the first inning but retired 11 of 12 Washington batters in one stretch. He walked two and struck out six.

Kerry Wood struck out two in shutting down a Washington eighth-inning rally and Carlos Marmol, despite giving up two walks and two singles, got his 26th save by pitching the ninth.

Zimmerman connected for his sixth home run of the year, sending the ball onto Waveland Avenue beyond left field. That lead stood until the fourth when Alfonso Soriano tripled in Marlon Byrd.

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann (7-10) got his sixth and seventh strikeouts to open the seventh before Reed Johnson singled and Aramis Ramirez connected for his 21st home run of the season. Two pitches later Carlos Pena blasted his 22nd of the year, this one reaching Sheffield Avenue over the right-field seats.

With Dempster out of the game, Washington got an RBI infield single from Brian Bixler in the eighth.

Marmol walked two and allowed a single to load the bases with no outs. He got a strikeout before an infield tap for a RBI single by Wilson Ramos and then struck out Bixler and got a long fly for an out to end the game.