Cubs 5, Astros 1: Travis Wood pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and Alfonso Soriano homered and had two RBIs as visiting Chicago downed Houston.

Wood (6-11) allowed just one run and four hits in his second dominating outing against the Astros this season. He tossed 7 2/3 shutout innings against Houston on July 1.

Dave Sappelt reached base four times on three hits and a walk for Chicago, which has won five of its last six road games. The Cubs won two of three from the Astros and held Houston to three runs in the series.

Soriano also had three hits and belted a solo shot – his 29th homer of the season – in the fifth to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. He added a run-scoring single in the seventh.

Welington Castillo had a run-scoring single in the first and Anthony Recker laced a run-scoring double in the eighth – the latter hit providing the Cubs with a 4-0 lead.

Wood struck out six and walked one while winning his second consecutive start. The left-hander lost six straight decisions prior to the back-to-back wins.

Wood was removed after allowing a two-out double in the eighth to Brandon Barnes. Shawn Camp allowed a run-scoring single to Fernando Martinez for the run charged to Wood.

The Cubs added a ninth-inning run when pinch runner Tony Campana stole third and scored on a throwing error by Houston catcher Chris Snyder.

Astros starter Fernando Abad (0-4) allowed one run and four hits in 3 1/3 innings.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo (shoulder) was held out of the lineup one night after being involved in a nasty collision with Houston 1B Brett Wallace. … Astros reliever Mickey Storey left in the eighth after taking a line drive off the right side of his face. The ball was hit by Sappelt, who reached first safely. … Chicago OF Brett Jackson (knee) missed his fifth straight game. … Houston SS Jed Lowrie was in the lineup for the first time since injuring his right leg on July 14. He went 0-for-3 with a walk.