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Final Score: Houston 4 - Chicago Cubs 11

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Mark DeRosa belted a grand slam to highlight an eight-run third inning as Chicago downed Houston, 11-4, in the finale of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.

DeRosa finished 2-for-3 with five runs batted in for the Cubs, who have won four of their past five games and remain five games in front of Milwaukee in the NL Central. Alfonso Soriano added a three-run homer.

"You never doubt yourself, you never lose confidence," DeRosa said. "You wonder sometimes when you're going to get going. I've always been a streaky hitter my whole career. I've had a lot of ups and downs. I never doubted the fact I'd get hot again. You don't want to be that guy moping in the corner. A lot of flaws are hidden when the team's had so much success."

Jason Marquis (7-7) surrendered four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Marquis, who added an RBI double to help his own cause, had gone six starts without a win since defeating the White Sox on June 21, recording four losses and two no-decisions over that stretch.

"I told myself to get a little more aggressive, attack the strike zone," Marquis said. "My offense did a great job."

Carlos Lee had a three-run homer for the Astros, who dropped the final two games in the series after winning their previous four contests. Ty Wigginton finished 3-for-4 with a double.

Brandon Backe (6-11) was dismal on the hill, allowing 11 runs on nine hits in just 3 1/3 innings en route to the loss.

After giving up four runs in the top of the frame, Chicago roared back with an eight-run third. Ryan Theriot started the fireworks with a one-out single to right. After Derrek Lee flied out to right, Backe walked Aramis Ramirez and Jim Edmonds to load the bases. DeRosa then cracked a grand slam, the fourth of his career, over the wall in left-center to put the Cubs back on top, 5-4.

Kosuke Fukudome kept the inning going with a double to right and, after Geovany Soto was intentionally walked, Marquis ripped a run-scoring two-bagger to right. Soriano finally capped the frame by depositing a three-run homer, his 21st of the year, over the fence in left to make it an 9-4 game.

The Cubs added two more runs in the fourth. Lee drew a walk to lead off the frame, moved to second on a Ramirez single up the middle and advanced to third when DeRosa worked a one-out walk before crossing the plate on Fukudome's RBI single. The Astros finally pulled Backe at that point and went to Tim Byrdak, who was promptly greeted by a Soto sacrifice fly to extend Chicago's lead to 11-4.

The Cubs jumped on top, 1-0, when Edmonds and DeRosa rapped consecutive one- out doubles in the second.

Houston answered with a two-out, four-run rally in the third. Kazuo Matsui started things with a ground-rule double to center. After Hunter Pence walked, Lance Berkman laced an RBI single to right and Lee followed by belting a three-run homer, his 27th of the season, over the wall in left.