Sliding Cubs Lose Seventh In A Row

May 21, 2012 12:00 AM " HOUSTON (AP)—Jason Castro and Chris Johnson each hit three-run homers and Bud Norris threw seven scoreless innings to give the Houston Astros an 8-4 victory over the slumping Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

Castro’s home run came in the second inning and Johnson added his in the third, to hand the Cubs their season-high seventh loss in a row.

Jed Lowrie homered for the second straight game, hitting a solo shot in the seventh inning to give the Astros three homers in a game for the second time in three games.

Norris (5-1) allowed five hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings. He has allowed just one earned run in his current four-game winning streak.

Cubs starter Matt Garza (2-2) yielded five hits and season-high seven runs in three innings — his shortest start of the season.

Johnson hit a two-out single in the second inning before a walk by J.D. Martinez to set up Castro’s homer, which broke an 0-for-9 streak. His first home run of the season landed several rows up in the lower deck in right field, where a man wearing a Cubs shirt fell backward trying to catch it, to put Houston up 3-0 "

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