CHICAGO (AP) Alfonso Soriano homered, Jeff Samardzija struck out eight in seven innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 Tuesday.
Soriano hit a solo homer to center field in the sixth. After going homerless in his first 30 games this season, Soriano has seven home runs in his last 13 games.
Samardzija (5-3) allowed eight hits and was one strikeout from tying his career high. He departed after Will Venable's RBI triple with no outs in the eighth. Shawn Camp kept the lead intact, getting Carlos Quentin on a fly to left to end the inning.
James Russell got the last two outs for his first career save.
Quentin homered and had three hits for San Diego. His drive on the first pitch of the fifth was his first home run as a Padre.