ST. LOUIS -- Jeff Samardzija hopes his traditional June swoon is a thing of the past. Samardzija picked up first career win as a starter in his most unlucky month, tossing 8 1-3 strong innings to help the Chicago Cubs to a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. Samardzija (4-7) came into the contest winless in eight June starts -- he was 2-8 with a 7.14 ERA, with both victories coming in relief. "I really want to knock this June bugaboo," he said. "Ive been working really hard and I like where I am today." Samardzija gave up two runs on seven hits and left with a 4-1 lead. He struck out six and walked one for his first win since May 27. Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ransom hit back-to-back homers in a four-run first as Chicago broke a five-game losing streak in St. Louis. The Cubs started fast against Adam Wainwright (10-4) and won for the fourth time in six games. Carlos Beltran hit his team-high 17th homer for the Cardinals, who lost for the third time in five games but still lead the majors with a 45-26 record. Cubs manager Dale Sveum was especially impressed with his starter. "He was as good as hes been all year against the best offence in baseball," he said. "If you can do that to them, youve had one heck of a game." Said Sweeney: "Watching from centre field, he was unbelievable." "He was keeping hitters off balance and still throwing 96 to 97 (mph) in the ninth inning," he said. Kevin Gregg picked up his 10th save in as many opportunities. He got David Freese to ground into a strange game-ending double play. Pinch-runner Shane Robinson was called out for interference while trying to break up the play at second. Robinson was ruled to have gone out of the way to hinder the relay throw from shortstop Starlin Castro. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny agreed with the call by umpire crew chief Fieldin Culbreth. "He got it right," Matheny said. "Its just frustrating to see the game end like that." The Cardinals cut the lead to 4-2 on an RBI single by Yadier Molina with one out in the ninth. Matt Holliday and Allen Craig singled with one out to chase Samardzija. Gregg, after giving up the hit to Molina, induced Freese to hit a hot shot right at second baseman Darwin Barney, who started the double play. Freese hit into three double plays and also struck out. The Cubs first-inning runs all came after two outs. Nate Schierholtz and Alfonso Soriano hit consecutive singles before Sweeney unloaded with his second homer of the season to make it 3-0. Ransom followed with his eighth homer. "We just got on them early," Sweeney said. "Thankful enough that we did. If you dont get to a guy like that, hell bear down and then you cant score any runs." The Cubs tied a season high with four runs in the first -- they also did it in the first inning of a 10-7 loss to San Francisco on April 14. Wainwright, who was trying to become the majors first 11-game winner, gave up back-to-back homers for the third time in his career. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits over seven innings. Wainwright had won his previous five starts, but has not beaten the Cubs since Sept. 24, 2010. He had given up a total of four first-inning runs over his first 14 starts this season. "It was unforgivable," Wainwright said. "I put my team in a really tough spot." Samardzija never let a runner past second base in the first five innings and was helped out by three double plays. "What else can you ask for?" Samardzija said. "Great defence. And the icing on the cake were those four runs in the first." Beltran homered off the right-field foul pole with two outs in the sixth. Molina went 3 for 3 and leads the NL with a .367 average. NOTES: Schierholtz has hit safely in a career-best 10 straight games. ... St. Louis OF Jon Jay has gone 215 successive games without making an error in centre. He is second in team history behind Curt Flood (226). Jay last made an error on Aug. 24, 2011. His streak is the longest current run in the NL. .... Chicago signed LHP Rob Zastryzny, their second-round draft choice. ... St. Louis rookie right-hander Shelby Miller (8-4, 2.08) left after five innings of Mondays 5-2 win due to cramps caused by dehydration. He will not miss a start. ... Chicago pitchers have a league-leading 22 RBI this season.... The Cardinals signed LHP Rob Kaminsky, their second first-round selection. The 28th overall pick, Kaminsky is from St. Josephs Regional High in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Swell Traveler Sale . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Swell Bottle Nz . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. http://www.swellbottlesnz.com/ . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Swell Bottle Ombre . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Swell Water Bottle Nz . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. HONOLULU -- Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer used 13 players, and each of them scored. It was that kind of night for the Bulldogs.Jacaira Allen scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, and No. 7 Mississippi State beat San Jose State 88-51 on Saturday in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown.Allen was 7 for 9 from the field in 15 minutes. The reserve also had two assists and two rebounds.I liked my bench tonight. I thought they came in and played really well, Schaefer said. It was a good win. I thought our athleticism and quickness really dominated the game defensively.The Bulldogs (6-0) never trailed and led by as many as 39 points. Teaira McCowan, a 6-foot-7 sophomore center, added nine points and 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.The Spartans (2-4) were held to their second-lowest scoring output of the season and shot just 37 percent from the field.San Jose State had 24 turnovers, leading to 35 points for Mississippi State.Thats what we try to do: disrupt you and not let you run what you want to run, Schaefer said.Jasmine Smith had nine points for San Jose State, which was outrebounded 58-28 by the Bulldogs.We wanted to compete against them and force them to make adjustments and, for the most part, and I thought we did that, San Jose State coach Jamie Craighead said. We knew we were going to give up size on our offensive end. It was really difficult. Our players had to battle a lot and it took its toll. We just looked really fatigued.BIG PICTUREMississippi State: One day after a 14-turnover game against Oregon, the Bulldogs took bbetter care of the basketball.dddddddddddd They committed 13 turnovers against San Jose State, but just three in the first half before emptying the bench in the third and fourth quarters.San Jose State: The Spartans first-quarter struggles continued against the Bulldogs. They were outscored 21-12 in the opening period Saturday and have been outscored 124-82 in the first quarter through their first six games.TURNING POINTHallie Gennetts deep 3-pointer from the right wing with 5:34 left in the second quarter cut Mississippi States lead to 26-20. The Bulldogs then closed out the half with a 12-2 run.ROLE PLAYERReserve guard Jazzmun Holmes spurred the Bulldogs second-half defensive effort. She had a pair of steals that led to transition layups that was part of a 6-0 run that stretched Mississippi States lead to 55-31 with 4:22 left in the third quarter.She really came in and set the tone, Schaefer said. Her energy is just really, really good and to see her come in and kind of energize my team was a big piece of what I thought allowed us to be successful in the second half.UP NEXTMississippi State will take on tournament host Hawaii on Sunday. It will mark the first time the Bulldogs and Rainbow Wahine have faced off.San Jose State returns to the court Sunday against Oregon, which has won 10 of 12 meetings against the Spartans. SJSU has lost five straight in the series since its last win over the Ducks, 68-62 on Feb. 14, 1986. ' ' '