Soriano hits 3 HRs; losing streak ends at 6

CINCINNATI - Cubs manager Lou Piniella issued a warning before Saturday night's 14-9 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

"These last 20 games or 21 games, I'm going to try to play a lineup that can win a ballgame that day," he said. "That's all I'm going to do. I've played everybody all year. Everybody's gotten opportunities all year.

"And now we're going to try to play a lineup that can win a baseball game that particular night. These guys want to stay in the lineup, swing the bats."

It seems the Cubs got the message.

One guy who really got it was left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who hit solo homers in the third and fifth innings and followed it with a 3-run blast in the sixth.

It was the third time Soriano went deep three times in a game, and it helped the Cubs (86-56) snap a six-game losing streak. The 14 runs matched their amount for the entire six-game skid.

It all happened before a sellout crowd of 41,204, most of whom cheered wildly for the Cubs.

"Oh, man, it's the second time in the last two seasons," Soriano said of a 3-homer game. "It feels good, hitting 3 homers in one game. It's a very special day for me. That's part of the game. I come to the game every day with the same energy and try to win and do the best I can."

Soriano's big night backed the pitching of Jason Marquis (10-8), who worked 7 innings of 5-hit, 2-run ball as he recorded his third straight quality start. Marquis also homered in the eighth, joining Soriano and Mark DeRosa (No. 20) as Cubs with home runs.

"I felt pretty good," Marquis said. "I had to battle through some deep counts, but our offense did a great job tonight, put a lot of runs on the board. Lot of room for some error. I made pitches when I needed to, stopped the bleeding."

Piniella was much happier and much more relaxed after the game than he was beforehand, when he made some pretty strong comments.

He took right fielder Kosuke Fukudome out of the lineup and put Micah Hoffpauir in, saying there's an opportunity for Hoffpauir.

When the team doesn't hit, as has been the case of late, Piniella starts making changes. In addition to Hoffpauir, Reed Johnson started in center field in place of Jim Edmonds.

"We've got to start scoring some runs on a little more consistent basis than we have here over the past week, and then we've got to get our rotation back set so that we can get our bullpen set again," Piniella said. "Let me tell you, when it rains, it pours. It's pouring right now, I can tell you.

"I'm open to production. We've got 21 games left, right? The people who are getting the job done, they're the ones who are going to be getting the bulk of the playing time. I'm talking about pitching wise and hitting wise.

"Look, I have been fair. I have given everybody opportunities all year. This is time now where the people who are getting the job done are the people who are going to play. Plain and simple."