Cubs 7, Astros 1: Jeff Samardzija matched a career high with 11 strikeouts over seven innings and Darwin Barney and Alfonso Soriano homered as host Chicago rolled past Houston in a series opener between struggling National League Central clubs.

Samardzija (8-10) dominated throughout, yielding just four hits and striking out five batters in a row as the Cubs won for just the second time in their last 13 games. The Astros’ only run of the night came on a solo home run by Brandon Barnes in the top of the sixth.

Barney put the Cubs on top in the second inning with a two-run shot to left field off Armando Galarraga (0-3), and Soriano added a two-run blast of his own with one out in the fifth to make it a 5-0 game.

Galarraga gave up seven hits and walked two in five innings en route to his third consecutive defeat for Houston, which has dropped 36 of its last 42.

Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-4 and had an RBI single in the third inning for the Cubs. Welington Castillo knocked in another run with an infield hit in the seventh, and Josh Vitters closed the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Samardzija first set his career high with 11 strikeouts July 2 in Atlanta ... Soriano's homer was the 361st of his career, tying him with Joe DiMaggio on the all-time list. ... Galarraga has walked 15 hitters in his last 15 1/3 innings ... Houston C Jason Castro had a second-inning single in his first at-bat since returning from the disabled list ... The Astros' 11-47 road record is the worst in the major leagues.