Cubs 3, Reds 1: Bryan LaHair and Ian Stewart smacked solo home runs to back the strong pitching of Jeff Samardzija as visiting Chicago took the opener of a rain-shortened two-game series.

Samardzija (3-1) permitted only one run on three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and was pulled after yielding his second walk with two out in the eighth.

Rafael Dolis got the final out of the eighth and closer Carlos Marmol set down the side in order in the ninth for only his second save in four chances.

Geovany Soto had two hits and an RBI and Starlin Castro and Alfonso Soriano added two hits apiece for the Cubs, who sent Cincinnati to its fourth loss in 11 games.

Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (1-1) allowed three runs on nine hits in six innings, striking out three and walking one.

LaHair extended his hitting streak to seven games with a solo blast off Arroyo in the second and Stewart doubled the lead with a shot in the fourth, ending a 14-game homerless drought.

The Reds cut the deficit in half on Jay Bruce's double-play grounder in the fourth, but Soto restored the two-run lead with a run-scoring single in the sixth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Bruce fell short in his bid to match the franchise record by homering in five straight games. ... LaHair has four homers and six RBIs during the seven-game hitting streak. He has swatted six of Chicago's major league-worst 11 home runs. ... Cincinnati signed RHP Michael Wuertz to a minor league deal. Wuertz, 33, is a veteran of eight seasons, three with Oakland and five with the Cubs. ... Tuesday's scheduled series opener was wiped out by rain.