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Marquis tries to stop the bleeding for Cubs

Sep 6, 2008 - 10:24 AM Chi Cubs (85-56) at Cincinnati (63-78) 7:10 p.m. EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- After a week of futility, it's up to Jason Marquis.

Despite having an apparent stranglehold on the National League Central and the best record in the league the Chicago Cubs are enduring their worst stretch of 2008. It's up to Marquis to try to stop that on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cubs' 10-2 defeat in the first game of the series was their sixth in a row, and the most lopsided yet. The Reds held a 5-0 lead by the end of the second inning and the Cubs never threatened. Suddenly, one of the most potent offenses in baseball doesn't seem explosive enough to overcame any deficit.

Over the last six games, the Cubs have managed 14 runs and have been shut out twice. Aramis Ramirez, the club's leader with 100 RBI, has one during the losing streak and is 2-for-24 (.083). Derrek Lee is getting on base but hasn't driven in a run since August 26. Alfonso Soriano has one extra-base hit, one RBI and a .154 batting average (4-for-26) during the skid.

With the offense mired in a slump, that puts an added premium on pitching - meaning the Cubs will need another start from Marquis (9-8, 4.46 ERA) like his last two. The veteran righthander threw seven shutout innings in a 2-0 win over the Pirates on August 27, then followed that up with a hard-luck loss to the Houston Astros on September 1. He gave up just two runs in six innings, but got no run support in a 3-0 Astros victory.

Erratic fireballer Johnny Cueto (8-12, 4.65) will be making his first start since August 24 for the Reds. He lasted just three innings in that game, holding the Colorado Rockies hitless before departing with soreness in his right triceps. He has allowed just two runs over his last three starts, a span of 15 innings.