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Marquis looks to break back into win column

May 29, 2007 - 2:53 PM Florida (24-27) at Chicago Cubs (22-27) 8:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Jason Marquis in enjoying a banner year to this point. What he hasn't been able to do lately is pick up a win.

Marquis and the Chicago Cubs continue their series with the Florida Marlins on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Marquis (5-1, 2.60 ERA), will be trying for the fourth time to get what would be his club-leading sixth win. He has struggled in 15 lifetime appearances - including eight starts - against the Marlins, going 4-3 with a 6.83 ERA.

The righthander has allowed 10 earned runs over his last three outings - all no-decisions - after yielding just nine earned runs in his first seven starts. This includes his best start over the last three contests, his last time out on Thursday at San Diego when he surrendered one run and five hits over seven frames in a 3-1 win.

Marquis will be attempting to break the Cubs out of their long slide, in which Chicago has lost six of its last eight and 12 of their last 18 games.

Florida will counter with Dontrelle Willis (6-3, 4.80 ERA), who has been effective on the road this season, posting a 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA in five starts. His success has been representative of the team's success away from Dolphin Stadium of late, as the Marlins are looking to win five straight games away from home for the first time since winning six in a row April 17-30, 2005.

In his last outing, the lefthander worked 6 1/3 innings but did not factor into the 5-4 win over Philadelphia. Willis, who has lasted at least six frames in all but one of his 11 starts, yielded three runs and seven hits with four strikeouts.

For his career, the lefthander is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA against Chicago in seven appearances, including five starts.