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DeRosa helps Cubs split series against Dodgers

Jun 9, 2008 - 4:29 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Mark DeRosa homered and drove in two runs and Jason Marquis pitched effectively into the seventh inning as the Chicago Cubs held on for a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night in the finale of a four-game series.

Aramis Ramirez added an RBI double for the Cubs, who avoided a third straight loss.

DeRosa, who had three hits, opened the scoring in the first with a solo home run - his eighth of the season - off Dodgers starter Brad Penny (5-8) to left-center field. He also snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the fifth.

"I've been batting seventh and eighth, and today in the second spot you see a ton of fastballs hitting in front of Lee and (Ramirez)," DeRosa said. "I'm the guy they want to go after, I'm never looking to hit a home run, but I was able to get a fastball and put a good swing on it."

Marquis (4-3) had an equally impressive night, allowing just one unearned run and three hits with a walk and two strikeouts over 6 1/3 frames.

"I got ahead and kept the ball down in the zone, attacking with my sinker and working my off speed pitches," Marquis said. "In terms of numbers wise, it's my best outing. I kept the team in a tight game and the bullpen shut it down like usual."

The Dodgers scored their lone run in the first frame after Juan Pierre stole second and advanced to third on Cubs catcher Geovany Soto's throwing error. Pierre then scored on Jeff Kent's RBI groundout.

"It's pretty much our calling card with the lack of offense," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "We need to make sure we have the patience to take it one at-bat at a time, you have to go up there and give yourself a chance to be successful as a hitter. We're overall getting frustrated."

Marquis cruised from there, retiring 17 of the next 18 batters he faced before running into trouble with one out in the seventh.

"(Marquis) stayed ahead in the count and threw strikes," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He did a real nice job, that's the type of performance we expect from a veteran pitcher. We were very pleased with his effort tonight."

The righthander yielded a hit to Russell Martin and walked James Loney, but Chicago reliever Carlos Marmol retired the final two batters to end the threat.

Marmol pitched around a hit and walk in the eighth and Kerry Wood tossed a perfect ninth for his 18th save of the season.

"It's nice to get to that 40 win total," DeRosa said. "(Marquis) pitched a heck of a game for us, Marmol and (Wood) came in and did their thing. We faced a tough pitcher and were able to get a few runs, it should be a nice flight home."

"Marmol came in and did a nice job, and Wood closed it out with really good stuff," Piniella added. "It was a good win and we will enjoy our day off tomorrow until Atlanta."

Penny lost his sixth consecutive decision, surrendering three runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over six innings.

"I'm throwing the ball pretty good and starting to feel better," Penny said. "We want to stay away from scoring one run, I can only control my pitching. I worry about what I can control, I go out there and pitch. Everything is there right now, and getting consistent. I just have to keep going out there and showing consistency."