DeRosa, Soriano lead Cubs over Astros 11-4

[August 07, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Mark DeRosa hit a grand slam and Alfonso Soriano had a three-run homer during an eight-run third inning that sent the Chicago Cubs to an 11-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

It was an emphatic finish for the Cubs to a wild three-game series that saw Houston take the opener 2-0 after the game was called in the eighth inning because of violent storms. Chicago rallied for an 11-7 win Tuesday after blowing a five-run lead.

DeRosa's fourth career slam made it 5-4 and propelled the Cubs to their ninth win in 11 games. The surging Soriano capped the burst with his second three-run shot in two days, after hitting the tiebreaking drive in the seventh inning Tuesday. He has 20 hits, six homers and 14 RBIs in his last 11 games after going 2-for-5 while driving in three runs.

DeRosa had two hits and drove in five runs after going 3-for-5 with three RBIs the previous day.

The Cubs roughed up Brandon Backe (6-11) and will try to carry that momentum into a three-game weekend series with rival St. Louis. Backe allowed a career-high 11 runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings. He walked six, did not strike out a batter and paid for those control problems.

Carlos Lee's three-run homer in the third capped a four-run burst that gave Houston a 4-1 lead, but the NL Central leaders responded in a big way in the bottom half, sending 11 batters to the plate. All eight runs came after Backe walked Aramis Ramirez and Jim Edmonds to load the bases with two outs.

DeRosa made it 5-4 when he drove a 1-1 pitch to left-center for his second grand slam this season.

Kosuke Fukudome doubled down the right-field line and, after Geovany Soto was intentionally walked, came around on Jason Marquis' double off the right-field wall. Soriano then drove the first pitch out to left for his 21st homer, making it 9-4.

All that offense helped Jason Marquis (7-7) win for the first time since beating the White Sox on June 21. The right-hander allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings after going 0-4 in his previous six starts.

He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth but did not allow a run after Lee hit his 27th homer.

Notes: Cubs SS Ryan Theriot fouled a pitch off his left foot in the fifth and was replaced by Ronny Cedeno before the seventh. ... Cubs RHP Jon Lieber, on the DL with a strained right foot, was back at Wrigley Field after giving up three runs and five hits in three innings Tuesday during a rehab outing with Class-A Peoria. "Physically, I'm fine. It's just building up strength," said Lieber, who was not sure when he will return. ... After playing 20 games in 20 days, the Cubs will have their first day off since the All-Star break on Thursday. ... Geoff Blum started at shortstop for Houston instead of Miguel Tejada. ... INF Mark Loretta was unavailable because he was still sore from a collision at home plate against the New York Mets on Saturday. ... OF Michael Bourn was out of the starting lineup for the 10th consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. He hopes to return on Thursday. ... RHP Geoff Geary, who strained his groin on Monday, will likely sit out the next few days but hopes to return during Houston's upcoming four-game series in Cincinnati.

[Associated Press; By ANDREW SELIGMAN]

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