The Chicago Cubs used a huge 7th inning explosion to break the game open & win their 9th road game in 10 tries with an 9-2 win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday afternnoon from Dolphin Stadium.

Kosuke Fukudome then struck out to end the scoring threat.

Chicago put together another rally in the top of the 2nd inning after Geovany Soto drew a lead-off walk from Volstad.

Mike Fontenot then singled to put runners at 1st & 2nd with no outs.

2 batters later, Ryan Dempster laid down a sac bunt to advance both Soto & Fontenot into scoring position with 2 outs for Alfonso Soriano.

Soriano struck out to end the scoring threat.

Chicago had yet another scoring chance in the top of the 3rd inning after Ryan Theriot & Derrek Lee hit back-to-back singles off Volstad.

The Cubs then attempted a double steal, but Theriot was nailed at 3rd base by Marlins catcher John Baker during Aramis Ramirez’s at-bat.

Ramirez grounded out to Jorge Cantu at 3rd base for the 2nd out before Kosuke Fukudome struck out to end the scoring threat.

Florida then put together a rally in the bottom of the 3rd inning after Cody Ross hit a lead-off triple against Chicago starter Ryan Dempster.

John Baker then hit an RBI groundout to score Ross from 3rd base & give the Marlins a 1-0 lead.

2 batters later, Hanley Ramirez hit a 2-out double off Dempster even though Alfonso Soriano appeared to gun down Ramirez at 2nd base.

Luis Gonzalez then struck out to end the inning.

The Cubs had a chance to tie the game in the top of the 4th inning after Reed Johnson hit a 2-out double off Volstad.

Ryan Dempster then grounded out to Dan Uggla at 2nd base to end the scoring threat.

Florida then added another run in the bottom of the 6th inning after Hanley Ramirez drew a lead-off walk against Dempster.

Luis Gonzalez then hit an RBI double over Reed Johnson’s head in centerfield, which scored Ramirez from 1st base & gave the Marlins a 2-0 lead.

Jorge Cantu then singled to put runners at the corners with no outs for Mike Jacobs.

Dempster then got both Jacobs & Uggla to strike out, but Cantu stole 2nd base on Uggla’s strikeout to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with 2 outs for Jeremy Hermeida.

Hermeida was then intentionally walked, which loaded the bases with 2 outs for Cody Ross.

Ross then flied out on the 1st pitch to Reed Johnson in centerfield to end the inning.

The Cubs then tried to rally in the top of the 7th inning after Mike Fontenot hit a lead-off double against Volstad.

Reed Johnson then reached 1st base safely after Cody Ross missed a diving attempt in centerfield, which allowed Fontenot to advance to 3rd on the play.

Pinch-hitter Mark DeRosa then drew a walk against Marlins reliever Renyel Pinto, which loaded the bases with no outs for Alfonso Soriano.

Soriano then hit an RBI double past a sliding Luis Gonzalez in left field, scoring both Fontenot & Johnson to tie the game 2-2.

Ryan Theriot then hit a comebacker to the pitcher for the 1st out of the inning.

Derrek Lee was then intentionally walked with 1 out to load the bases for Aramis Ramirez.

Ramirez then hit a 2-run double past a diving Jorge Cantu at 3rd base, which scored both DeRosa & Soriano & gave Chicago a 4-2 lead.

Kosuke Fukudome then hit a sac fly to score Derrek Lee from 3rd base & give the Cubs a 5-2 lead.

Geovany Soto was then intentionally walked to put runners at 1st & 2nd with 2 outs for pinch-hitter Ronny Cedeno.

Cedeno then walked which loaded the bases once again for Reed Johnson, who became the 9th man to bat in the inning.

Johnson then cleared the bases with a 3-run triple, scoring Ramirez, Soto & Cedeno to break the game wide open & give Chicago an 8-2 lead.

The Cubs then threatened for more runs in the top of the 8th inning after Derrek Lee drew a 2-out walk from Marlins reliever Logan Kensing.

Aramis Ramirez then singled to put runners at 1st & 2nd for Kosuke Fukudome, who struck out to end the scoring threat.

Chicago then added another run in the top of the 9th inning after pinch-hitter Henry Blanco hit a 2-out double off Florida reliever Mark Hendrickson.

Reed Johnson then singled to put runners at the corners with just 1 out for Mark DeRosa, who hit a sac fly to score Blanco from 3rd base & give the Cubs a 9-2 lead.

Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless 9th to end the game & finish off Chicago’s excellent 5-1 road trip.

Ryan Dempster (14-5) picks up the win for the Cubs after pitching 6 innings & allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 10 batters.

The Cubs are a perfect 3-0 this season when Dempster has struck out 10 or more batters in a game.

Renyel Pinto (2-5) takes the loss for the Marlins after allowing 5 runs on 2 hits & walked 3 during that dreadful 7th inning which saw the Cubs bat around & score 8 runs to break the game open.

Chicago will now enjoy an off-day tomorrow & host Dusty Baker’s Cincinnati Reds for a 3-game series starting Tuesday night at 7:05 PM cst from Wrigley Field.

Cubs righthander Rich Harden (2-1, 1.80 in 6 starts with Cubs) will be opposed by Reds righthander Johnny Cueto (8-11, 4.90).

Harden has been saddled with 3 straight no-decisions at home since joining the Cubs & will look to earn his 1st Wrigley Field win of the season.

Cueto is 3-8 in 12 road starts this season with a 5.29 ERA & lost his last start against Chicago on July 9th when he allowed 5 runs on 8 hits in 6 2/3 innings during the Cubs’ 5-1 win.

Signing off for now,