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Soriano, Cubs eyeing fourth straight win

May 29, 2008 - 1:39 PM Colorado (20-33) at Chi Cubs (32-21), 8:05 p.m. EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Alfonso Soriano is looking to lead the Chicago Cubs to their fourth consecutive victory Thursday when they host the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a four-game series.

The Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday when Soriano hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning.

After pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot doubled to the gap in left-center, Soriano reached out on Dodgers reliever Chan Ho-Park's 2-2 slider and blooped a hit safely down the line in shallow left field.

Soriano is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI this season.

Jason Marquis (2-3, 4.97 ERA) will take the hill for Chicago, which allowed just one run in each of its previous three contests.

The 29-year-old Marquis did not receive a decision in his last start, yielding three runs and seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings during Saturday's 5-4 setback to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Hoping to end a three-game losing skid, the Rockies will counter with Jeff Francis (1-5, 6.18). The lefthander was tagged for six runs and seven hits with three walks and eight strikeouts over six frames in Saturday's 9-2 loss to the New York Mets.

Colorado has surrendered 33 runs over its current losing streak.