Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Jason Marquis snapped a personal three-game losing streak, tossing six strong innings to help the Chicago Cubs edge the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, in the finale of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.

Marquis (2-3) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and a walk while striking out three for the Cubs, winners in eight of their last 10 games.

"We'd like to see him pitch better than he has," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of Marquis. "He's capable of it and he's done it in the past. There's no reason to expect that he won't do it now or in the future. He's got the ability to do it. Just get it done."

Bob Howry, Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood combined to pitch three scoreless innings down the stretch to preserve the win.

"It feels good to get a win and feel like you finally contribute to this team's winning ways," Marquis said. "I focused on pounding the strike zone, getting ahead early, expanding the zone and having the hitter at my mercy."

Alfonso Soriano extended hitting streak to nine games with a single in the first and had a sacrifice fly in the third. Ronny Cedeno and Kosuke Fukudome drove home the other runs for Chicago.

Pirates starter Phil Dumatrait (1-2) was roughed up for four runs on four hits and seven walks for the Pirates, who dropped two of three over the weekend.

Adam LaRoche was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, knocking in all three Pittsburgh runs, and Freddy Sanchez doubled and scored a run.

The Cubs took the lead with a run in the fourth on a Reed Johnson sacrifice fly. Fukudome walked to start the inning, Mark DeRosa ripped a one-out single to left and the Cubs executed a double steal putting both runners in scoring position before the fly ball to left field for a 3-2 margin.

Dumatrait had control problems again in the fifth, issuing consecutive two-out walks before allowing a Fukudome RBI single to left. Geovany Soto followed with another walk ending Dumatrait's outing after just 4 2/3 innings.

Marino Salas came on to record the final out of the inning for the Pirates.

Pittsburgh got one back in the sixth courtesy of a two-out RBI single from LaRoche.

Ronny Paulino walked and made his way to third base with two outs in the seventh after a Jason Michael pinch-hit single, but Howry retired Sanchez on a fly ball to end the inning.

Wood came on in the ninth and closed the door on Pittsburgh, retiring the side in order for his 10th save.

Pittsburgh started things off in the first with a leadoff double from Sanchez and LaRoche stroked a two-out homer to left.

Dumatrait ran into trouble with a 34-pitch third inning, walking the bases loaded with nobody out for the red-hot Soriano, who plated a run on a fly ball to center. Cedeno followed with a bloop single to center plating another to tie the game at two.