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CHICAGO -- Jeff Samardzija did the pitching, teammate Matt Garza did the counting. Dez Bryant Youth Jersey . Samardzija struck out a career high-tying 11 in seven innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros 7-1 on Monday night. Samardzija (8-10) allowed one run and four hits. He also fanned 11 at Atlanta on July 2. After striking out the side in the fourth, he fanned Jason Castro leading off the fifth for his fifth consecutive strikeout. "I knew I was on a good run in middle of the game, but Garza came up to me after the game and said, Cant get that elusive 12. Whatever. He has a way of letting me know. If anyone is not paying attention, he is." Darwin Barney and Alfonso Soriano hit two-run homers and Anthony Rizzo had four hits for the Cubs. Chicago won for just the second time in 13 games. The Astros have lost 25 of its last 27 road games. The crowd of 31,452 was the smallest of the season at Wrigley Field. The Astros, who have the worst record in the majors, got their run on the first career homer by rookie Brandon Barnes, a pinch-hit shot in the sixth. Armando Galarraga (0-3) was tagged for five runs and seven hits. "Two home runs cost me the game. Believe it or not, it was a better start than the last couple. I threw more strikes, threw everything I wanted to. I just missed those two. Soriano, it was the first pitch. He got me. The first one hurt because it was a bad pitch," Galarraga said. Samardzija came into the game with the second-lowest run support in the majors at 3.19. Chicago had scored two or fewer runs for him in 11 of his last 12 outings. "Sure. Its something to think about when a teammate is out there battling, picking up quality starts and youre not scoring any runs for him," Barney said. Starlin Castro led off the Cubs second with a single and two outs later, Barney hit his sixth homer. "The big thing in the second inning was the inability to make some pitches. We had Castro 0-2 and he singled to start that rally. Then Barney hit the two-run homer, and the second home run from Soriano really put us in a hole," Astros manager Brad Mills. In the third, Rizzo singled home Josh Vitters to give Samardzija a three-run cushion. After Rizzo singled in the fifth, Soriano hit his 21st home run. Welington Castillo had an RBI infield single in the seventh and Vitters drove in Barney with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Barnes, called up from the minors on Aug. 7, homered in his fourth big league game. NOTES: Lucas Harrell, Tuesdays scheduled starter for Houston, will try for his 10th win of the season. He ranks first among NL rookies in innings pitched. ... Cubs starter Chris Volstad will try to win his first game since July 10, 2011, on Tuesday. He has not won in 22 starts. ... Astros C Jason Castro was back in the lineup after missing nearly a month with a right knee contusion. He was 1 for 4 and struck out three times. Jason Witten Cowboys Jersey . The second-seeded Croat was in control throughout, hitting six aces and dropping serve only once. Brands wasted two break points for a 2-0 lead in the second set, and Cilic then won five games in a row. Miles Austin Black Jersey . And each Miami Heat player offered it a different greeting. Mike Miller bowed. Udonis Haslem kissed it three times. http://www.nflcowboysfansshop.com/brandon-carr-womens-jersey/ . And one of them will be on the sideline when the Esks host the Calgary Stampeders Friday night. Austin Pasztor, the former University of Virginia Cavalier whom the Esks took with the fourth overall pick of this years Canadian college draft, was recently released by the NFLs Minnesota Vikings. DeMarcus Ware Black Jersey . A video in which he appeared to make fun of a trainer with Parkinsons disease didnt earn the former welterweight champion many friends, either. Jason Witten Camo Jersey . The league said in a statement the Spitfires admit violating the leagues recruitment policy and as a result of their co-operation in this matter commissioner David Branch was reducing the penalties against the club.VALENCIA, Spain -- Top-seeded David Ferrer reached the Valencia Open final for a fourth time after defeating Ivan Dodig of Croatia 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 on Saturday. Ferrer will face Alexandr Dolgopolov in Sundays final after the Ukrainian used his big serve to ease past Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-4, 6-2 in the other semifinal. "It was a complicated match," said Ferrer. "He served well throughout and made it tough for me." After the fifth-ranked Ferrer controlled the opening set, the local favourite showed some strain from finishing his doubles with partner Juan Carlos Ferrero after midnight Friday. Dodig rallied to save two break points and force a second-set tiebreaker, where he converted a third set point by forcing the Spaniard into netting his volley. Ferrer grabbed a 3-1 advantage in the decisive set after Dodig double-faulted. He then hit a running approach shot to break Dodig again before serving out the win in 2 hours, 42 minutes. "I tried to forget the second set. In the thirrd set I tried to be more consistent because I knew that he was wearing down," said Ferrer. DeMarcus Ware Jersey. "I knew that in the third I needed to be consistent because so much depended on the first serve and a break could be critical." Dolgopolov hit nine aces and broke Melzer twice in each set en route to victory. The 21st-ranked Dolgopolov will now play his fourth career final in search of his second title of the season after winning at Washington. Ferrer played another doubles later Saturday following the match between Melzer and Dolgopolov. "Logically, I will be more tired, but whether I win or lose tomorrow wont depend on the doubles tonight," Ferrer said. He has a chance on Sunday to add the tournament at the City of Arts and Sciences to his five titles this season. He won here on the indoor hard-courts in 2008 and 2010 after losing the final in 2005 when the tournament was played on clay. Ferrero, a former No. 1 and Valencia native, will retire after this event. ' ' '