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(Sports Network) - Playing on the road has been a nightmare this season for the Colorado Rockies, who will continue a four-game series this afternoon against the Chicago Cubs at historic Wrigley Field.

The defending National League champions opened a 10-game road trip this week and were promptly swept in three games at Philadelphia. The Rockies then suffered an 8-4 loss in Thursday's series opener against the Cubs, as they blew a seventh-inning lead to lose for the ninth straight time as the visitor.

Ian Stewart fell a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored in defeat. Ryan Spilborghs also had three hits for the Rockies, who have dropped 14 of 16 road games and are 8-20 away from Coors Field this season.

Starting pitcher Jeff Francis gave up three runs on six hits in five innings for the no-decision, while reliever Matt Herges yielded two unearned runs to absorb the loss. Taylor Buchholz was charged with three runs -- two earned -- on three hits in relief and did not retire a batter in the eighth.

Colorado will close out its trek with three games at Los Angeles next week.

Rockies starter Aaron Cook is back in the win column after a complete game effort versus the New York Mets on May 25, and will get the nod today. Cook gave up one run and four hits and went the distance for the first time this season and seventh time in his career.

Cook opened the 2008 campaign 6-0 in seven trips to the hill, then dropped back-to-back starts. The right-hander, though, rebounded nicely against the Mets at Coors Field to improve to 7-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 11 starts.

The right-hander, who is 4-2 in six road starts in 2008, beat the Cubs on April 24 this season at Coors Field, hurling eight strong innings of two-run ball in a 4-2 victory. Cook is 3-1 with a 2.32 earned run average in five career games (four starts) against Chicago.

Chicago is 4-0 so far on a seven-game homestand after last night's victory. Alfonso Soriano had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Derrek Lee belted a solo home run for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who were coming off a three-game sweep of the Dodgers and improved to 23-8 at Wrigley Field this season.

Cubs starter Jason Marquis gave up three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work for the no-decision. The late rally for Chicago made a winner out of relief pitcher Michael Wuertz, who allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings.

Ted Lilly will try to keep his recent streak of success on the hill intact when he takes the mound for Chicago on Friday.

Lilly has won four straight decisions and is unbeaten over the past five trips to the hill. In a May 25 start at Pittsburgh, he yielded four runs and 10 hits in six innings of a 6-5 setback for the no-decision.

The lefty is 2-1 with a 6.59 earned run average in three career starts against the Rockies.

Colorado and Chicago split a pair of meetings from April 23-24 this season at Coors Field. The Rockies have won three of the last five matchups in this series.