The Cubs, led by a Reed Johnson three-RBI double, slugged their way through a eight-run seventh inning Sunday afternoon, and beat the Marlins 9-2. It was the 14th victory of the season for starter Ryan Dempster, and coupled with a 7-5 walk-off win by the Dodgers over the Brewers, extended the Cubs lead to 5.5 games over second-place Milwaukee. Thank you, Andre Ethier.

Times they are a changin. If there has been one saving grace for the rest of the National League this season, it's been that you had a fairly decent chance of beating the Cubs if you got them on the road. The Cubs seem to be straightening that out --winning nine of their last 10 away from Wrigley -- although admittedly I'm not certain why. Part of this streak may very well be in the quality of teams they've played away recently, Take away the Brewers series -- it practically is a home game for the Cubs -- and they've played average or worse teams, and beat them accordingly. But they're gelling, and getting some really good starting pitching in these games, which is always going to improve your odds. There are big road games looming in September that will ultimately tell the tale, but at least now the Cubs are competitive on the road, and should remain so, as average teams start to check out for the season, turning the games over to call-ups as the season ends.

But back to that pitching for moment, which was again huge yesterday. Ryan Dempster is a Cy Young candidate! No, he won't win it, but this is a statement that I never expected to make. He's done a really nice job curtailing his walks this season, and I think that the results are really starting to come through. Ryan went six strong innings yesterday, scattering five hits, while striking out 10, which by the way seems to be becoming the favorite number of Cubs starting pitchers. The Cubs offense however was going nowhere against Chris Volstad -- who settled down from early wildness to throw a pretty decent game -- so he was lifted in the seventh. Good thing too, as the Cubs finally got to Volstad with hits by Mike Fontenot and Reed Johnson, who would get two hits in the inning. Volstad was then pulled in favor of Cubs ex-farmhand Renyel Pinto, who got worked over. First by Alfonso Soriano, who sent a double to the left field wall past a diving Luis Gonzalez. Then, by an Aramis Ramirez RBI-double. Kosuke Fukudome would add a sacrifice fly before Reed Johnson would return to the plate, and deliver the deathblow; a three-run RBI double off of Logan Kensing to effectively end the game. Reed would later add a sac fly in the ninth to conclude his four-RBI day.

And so, after now concluding their 5-1 road trip, the Cubs have the day off before returning to Wrigley for a matchup with the Reds, followed by a three-game set with the Nationals. It's a good week to pad a lead.