Spencer Arrighetti controlled the game from the start, throwing five scoreless innings as Houston defeated Chicago 4-2 at Wrigley Field. The Astros built a four-run lead through the first five innings before holding off a late Cubs rally.
Arrighetti allowed just 2 hits over 5.0 innings, walking 4 and striking out 5 to improve to 6-1 with a 1.32 ERA. The right-hander threw 89 pitches in his sixth win of the season, keeping Chicago scoreless until the sixth inning.
Christian Vazquez provided the early offense with a solo homer to left center in the third inning. Houston extended the lead in the fourth when Walker scored on Cole's fielder's choice, then Shewmake scored on Vazquez's single to right. Matthews added an insurance run in the fifth, singling to center to score Paredes.
Jameson Taillon struggled for Chicago, allowing 8 hits and 4 runs over 4.2 innings to fall to 2-4 with a 5.20 ERA. The Cubs finally broke through in the sixth when Pete Crow-Armstrong homered to right, a 406-foot shot that scored Amaya and cut the deficit to 4-2. Bryan King earned his fifth save with 1.1 scoreless innings.
Houston snapped a one-game losing streak to improve to 20-31. Chicago extended its losing streak to five games, falling to 29-21.