CHICAGO, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Wade Miller won his career-best seventh straight decision Wednesday, pitching effectively into the eighth inning, and Craig Biggio homered to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
The Astros won for the 16th time in their last 22 games and have won the first three games in this four-game series. Houston also has won a season-high five straight on the road.
Miller had little trouble with the Cubs through the first seven innings, allowing just three hits. But Chicago finally showed some life in the eighth when Sammy Sosa delivered a two-run single to cut the lead to 4-2.
Pedro Borbon kept it a two-run game by striking out Fred McGriff to end the threat.
Ricky Stone, a 27-year-old rookie, worked the ninth inning for his first major league save. Manager Jimy Williams had used Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner in each of the first two games of the series, and wanted to give his top relievers a rest.
Stone retired the first two batters before Alex Gonzalez reached on an infield single and went to second on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Chris Stynes walked before Angel Echevarria, another pinch hitter, blooped a run-scoring single to right.
Stone then struck out Mark Bellhorn for the final out. It was the 61st appearance of the season for Stone, who tied the club record set by Charlie Kerfeld in 1986.
Miller (10-3) allowed five hits, walked four and struck out six in 7 2/3 innings to improve to 10-1 in 15 starts since being activated from the disabled list in May. He has not lost since a 9-1 setback at Arizona on June 26.
Carlos Zambrano (2-4) took the loss, allowing four runs -- two earned -- and four hits in seven innings, including Biggio's 10th homer in the seventh. Zambrano walked three and struck out seven.
