Cubs 5, Padres 3: Cody Ransom homered and drove in the go-ahead run against his former team as host Chicago claimed the opener of a four-game series.

Scott Hairston and Ransom hit back-to-back home runs while Darwin Barney had a pair of RBI doubles for the Cubs, who have won four of five.

Chicago's bullpen continued its solid work of late as four relievers combined for four scoreless frames. Michael Bowden (1-1) worked a perfect sixth for the win, James Russell stranded three inherited runners in the seventh and Kevin Gregg retired all four batters he faced for his fourth save.

Hairston and Ransom went back-to-back against Clayton Richard (0-3) in the second to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead while Barney's two-out double added to the cushion in the fourth.

The Padres tied it in the fifth on Yonder Alonso's two-run single to left, but the Cubs regained the lead in the sixth. Ransom, who was waived by the Padres after starting the season 0-for-11, lined a two-out RBI single up the middle and scored on Barney's slicing double down the right-field line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija struggled with his command, issuing four walks over five innings while allowing three runs on four hits. He struck out eight and remained winless in five starts since a victory on Opening Day. … The Padres extended their franchise-record streak of errorless games to 13 as 3B Chase Headley initially was charged with a fielding error on Julio Borbon's chopper in the eighth, but the call was later scored as an infield hit. … Richard was tagged for five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings and has lost five straight decisions dating back to last season.