SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Pitching to be included on the Rockies' season-opening staff, right-hander German Marquez held the Cubs to two runs and struck out six in six innings of a 7-4 victory over the Cubs on Saturday in front of a Rockies Salt River Fields at Talking Stick-record crowd of 13,565.
Marquez, 22, who appeared in six games and made three starts in the Majors late last season, made a statement in the contest for two rotation spots and possibly a long-relief role by holding the Cubs to five scattered hits. Marquez ran his fastball to 97 mph and, at the urging of manager Bud Black, used his curve and slider -- heretofore inconsistent this spring -- to effective results.
"He told me that I need to be aggressive," Marquez said. "Today, I was aggressive and I hit the release point. This is my work. I need to be relaxed. I don't have to put pressure on myself."
Marquez held the Cubs scoreless until the sixth, when Jason Heyward delivered his second Cactus League homer, a two-run shot.
Marquez joins lefties Kyle Freeland and Harrison Musgrave and righty Antonio Senzatela in the competition for the three spots. Marquez entered Saturday with the worst Cactus League statistics of the group (0-0, 8.00 ERA, seven strikeouts and six walks). Black saw Marquez's breaking pitches as "functional" and he was much better.
"I thought his previous Cactus League games, [his breaking balls] were non-competitive," Black said. "I thought today he had competitive breaking balls in good counts -- a couple of them in full-count situations where he got a called strike three. He mixed in a couple changeups as well."
Lefty Brett Anderson, in line to start the Cubs' fourth regular-season game, held the Rockies to an unearned run and six hits in four innings. The only run was on a Trevor Story single in the third to drive in DJ LeMahieu, who reached on an error.
"My body feels good," said Anderson, whose next outing will be an exhibition vs. the Astros at Minute Maid Park. "My arm feels good and you're getting into the dog days of Spring Training where you're itching to get to the real thing, and the outing in Houston will get you closer to that adrenaline level and atmosphere and get ready for the regular season."
The Rockies ignited for four runs off Cubs reliever Wade Davis, who gave up two hits and walked two. Mark Reynolds and Dustin Garneau delivered two-run doubles during the frame. Reynolds' was off Davis, and Garneau's was off Mario Meza.
Cubs Up Next: The Cubs will play split-squad games Sunday, sending Alec Mills against the Padres in Mesa, while Eddie Butler faces the Reds in Las Vegas, live on MLB.TV. Both games are scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CT. Butler is 4-0 in four spring starts so far, while Mills has appeared in three games and will be making his second start.
Rockies Up Next: Righty Tyler Chatwood, who has been solid all spring, will start against the Padres at Peoria on Sunday at 2:10 p.m. MT. Righty Carlos Estevez is scheduled for his second straight outing, and closer Greg Holland also will work.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.