DeRosa, Cubs unload on Astros

CHICAGO - Mark DeRosa said he wasn't sure if the curveball he hit in the third inning would make it to the left-field bleachers. But it did. DeRosa's second grand slam of the season gave the Cubs a one-run lead against Houston and touched off a frenzy among the 41,107 fans, who shouted for him until he came out of the dugout for a curtain call, at Wrigley Field. “That's my first curtain call of my career,” DeRosa said after the game. “... It's nice. It makes you feel good. It's one of those moments that you don't forget.” But the Cubs weren't done. They went on to score four more runs, including three on a homer by the similarly streaking Alfonso Soriano, in what became an eight-run third en route to a 11-4 win Wednesday. The victory kept the first-place Cubs five games ahead of Milwaukee in the NL Central. It was the 33rd time the Cubs have trailed in a game and come back to win it. “Well, I guess it shows no quit,” manager Lou Piniella said. “I've said all along we get after it pretty good.” It seemed only a matter of time before DeRosa made a curtain call. He followed Tuesday's three-hit, three-RBI performance with a 2-for-3, five-RBI effort Wednesday. DeRosa's two-day tear was welcome after a rough July, he said. “I've always been a streaky hitter, my whole career. I've had a lot of ups and downs, and I never doubted the fact that I'd get hot again,” DeRosa said. “But you know, you just want to be a part of the team's having so much fun. ” The Cubs offense, which leads the NL in runs, was vicious, putting up 11 runs for the second day in a row. Houston's starting pitcher, painfully deliberate right-hander Brandon Backe, left the mound to the strains of “YMCA” after only 3 1/3 innings. He was charged with all 11 runs, all earned. Piniella and DeRosa attributed the offensive resurgence to Soriano's return to the lineup. “We play hard every day, every inning, and I think that's why we've got a very good record right now,” Soriano said. But does he think his teammates feed off of him? “I don't know, man, I just try to do my job and play hard every day,” Soriano said. “... That's what I'm trying to do is stay healthy, and play hard every day.” The offensive explosion provided great cover for Cubs starter Jason Marquis, who was staked to an early 1-0 lead, but allowed four runs in the third inning, including a three-run home run by Carlos Lee in the top of the third that put Houston ahead, 4-1. After the Cubs' big inning, Marquis (7-7) kept the Astros off the scoreboard. He allowed four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings and earned his first win since June 21. He said it was “huge” to help the Cubs win the three-game series. “We've been grinding it out all year; we haven't had by any means an easy season,” Marquis said. “We go out there game after game and battle, and it was a good pick-me-up for myself and for the team.” Today's off-day should be another good pick-me-up for the team after a stretch of 20 consecutive games without a break. The Cubs went 12-8 in that period. “We have a day off [today] and then we've got a big, important series with the St. Louis Cardinals here at home,” Piniella said.