CHICAGO – Ryan Dempster pitched four-hit ball over seven shutout innings, and the Cubs hung on to beat team president Theo Epstein's former club, topping the struggling Boston Red Sox, 3-0, on Friday.

The Red Sox loaded the bases against Carlos Marmol in the ninth, but he got out of it when Dustin Pedroia forced the runner at third to end the game. That gave Marmol three saves in five chances and the Cubs a dramatic win after they cruised through the first eight.

Dempster (3-3) stretched his scoreless innings streak to 22 and lowered his ERA to 2.11 with another dominant performance.