The former closer struck out a career-high 12 batters in 8 1/3 innings and hit an RBI single to lead the Cubs to a 4-0 victory over the Padres, giving new center fielder Jim Edmonds a win in his debut on Thursday afternoon.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella allowed Dempster to trot out for the ninth and try for his first complete game in six years. Dempster spent the last three seasons as a closer, and this is his first year back in the rotation. He gave up two hits and was pulled for Kerry Wood, who is making the switch from starter to closer.

Dempster is a "godsend," Piniella said.

"He's been pitching very well," Piniella said. "He's got the good breaking ball, the nice live fastball, and he's got that split-finger. He's got a good combination of pitches. Today he was throwing strike one, getting ahead of the hitters. That's really a key for him."

Dempster (5-1) gave up a two-out single to Brian Giles in the first, then retired 15 in a row before walking Jody Gerut with two outs in the sixth. He was pulled after Kevin Kouzmanoff singled with one on and one out in the ninth. Wood shut the door for his eighth save by fanning Khalil Greene and Josh Bard.

"I was hoping to get [Kouzmanoff] out and get a chance to finish it, but it's a little bit of motivation for down the road," Dempster said. "Hopefully, eventually, next time I get myself in a situation to be able to finish again. But Woody came in and did a great job and got a save. All is happy."

Dempster lowered his ERA to 2.35, and the Cubs are 7-2 in his starts. He now has eight double-digit strikeout games.

The conversion back to starting has gone smoothly, but could Dempster have predicted this?

"I honestly don't know," Dempster said before pausing for a split-second. "Maybe, yeah. I worked pretty hard to be prepared for this year."

Dempster credited his early success to confidence, but called strikeouts overrated, taking a phrase from his counterpart on the mound Thursday, former teammate Greg Maddux. He was more pleased with his efficiency. Dempster didn't surpass the 100-pitch mark until the eighth inning.

"Obviously, I'm comfortable because I've been [in the rotation] before," Dempster said. "I'm sure they're not all going to be like that today. But I feel like every fifth day, I'm prepared to give us a chance to win a game."

Edmonds, released last Friday by the Padres, went 1-for-4, with a single in his first at-bat in the second inning, but he stranded seven baserunners. Edmonds might not start again until the Cubs travel to Houston next week. Reed Johnson will likely bump him from center field for this weekend's series with Pittsburgh against three left-handed starting pitchers. Now 25-16, the Cubs are off to their best start since 1987, when they opened that season with the same 41-game mark.

"You see the locker room, guys are having fun, having a good time," Dempster said. "The music is playing a lot after games. That's what you want to hear."

All of the scoring came in the Chicago fifth.

Ronny Cedeno singled to lead off against Maddux (3-4), reached third on Henry Blanco's single and scored on Dempster's single. Alfonso Soriano then singled to load the bases, and Ryan Theriot hit a sacrifice fly to go ahead, 2-0. Derrek Lee then doubled, driving in Dempster and Soriano, and chasing Maddux.

Maddux, who was vying for career win No. 351, received a standing ovation from the crowd of 40,629 as he walked off the field. He gave up four runs on 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings in what may have been his final start at Wrigley Field.

Dempster also received a standing ovation but said Maddux's was louder. He'll concede that, as long as the Cubs keep winning.

"Hey, it was a good win against a tough pitcher," Dempster said. "Four-game series, you win those, that's huge, a big win for us. We've got to keep it going."