The Cubs finally caught a break.Matt Garza pitched nine strong innings and Marlon Byrd’s 12th-inning dribbler was ruled fair, giving him an infield single and lifting the Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday.Starlin Castro set up the winning rally with a leadoff walk, went to second on Darwin Barney’s sacrifice, and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored when third baseman Chris Johnson couldn’t handle Byrd’s dribbler up the line.The Astros argued that Byrd’s hit should have been a foul ball and replays suggested they were correct.Garza was one strike from finishing off a five-hitter when Carlos Lee hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot into the left-field bleachers that tied it 3-all. Garza said he decided to challenge Lee with a fastball.Nevertheless, it was a solid outing for Garza, who struck out four and threw a season-high 124 pitches, allowing seven hits and no walks. Jeff Samardzija (7-4) threw a scoreless 12th to pick up the win and send the Astros to their 99th loss.Houston has never lost 100 games in a season in the franchise’s 50-year history.Geovany Soto led off the third with his 15th homer, and Aramis Ramirez had three hits, including his first triple since July 9, 2010. Lee had three hits and three RBI for Houston. He opened the scoring with a solo blast leading off the second. Lee has hit in 22 of his last 24 games, and has 23 career homers at Wrigley Field, third among active players. Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez allowed three runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking four. He is two strikeouts shy of becoming the first Astros lefty to record 1,000 in a career. Reliever David Carpenter (0-3) gave up the winning run. The Astros swung early and often against Garza, who faced the minimum in five different innings and no more than four until the ninth. After allowing J.D. Martinez’s leadoff single in the fourth, Garza retired the next 13 Astros in order.

NOTES—Castro went 0 for 4 with two walks and remains seven hits shy of becoming the youngest Cub to reach the 200-hit mark. … The Cubs opened their homestand Friday afternoon after finishing their road trip with the extra-inning loss at Cincinnati on Thursday night. It’s the kind of scheduling crunch Quade would like to avoid given the ordinance that requires the Cubs to play day games on Fridays. “I don’t know if it’s a doable deal, but obviously you’d like to play a day game somewhere else before coming home,” he said. … Actor Martin Sheen performed during the seventh-inning stretch, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” … The Astros will send Henry Sosa to the mound on Saturday to face Rodrigo Lopez.