After Jose Cisnero (2-0) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth, Maxwell led off the ninth with a double against Kevin Gregg (2-1), moved to third on Matt Dominguez's sacrifice bunt and raced home when Cedeno pushed a bunt up the right side. Jose Veras worked a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances.

Martinez erased a 3-0 deficit with his blast to left in the sixth, jumping on Travis Wood's first pitch after Jose Altuve and Chris Carter had kept the inning alive with two-out singles.

Chicago staked Wood to a 3-0 lead on Luis Valbuena's two-run single in the third and Nate Schierholtz's solo shot into the right-field bleachers in the fifth, but the Cubs didn't score again.

The Cubs went 1-for-7 with men in scoring position and left eight on base. They loaded the bases again with one out in the third after Valbuena's two-run hit but couldn't add to the lead. Chicago also wasted a great chance in the eighth when Alfonso Soriano was picked off second for the second out and Darwin Barney popped out to end the frame and leave the bases loaded.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wood recorded his major league-best 14th quality start, allowing three runs over six innings. Astros starter Bud Norris yielded three runs - two earned - over six innings, but both are winless in their last four outings. … The run against Gregg ended a string of seven scoreless outings dating to June 5. … Cubs SS Starlin Castro went 1-for-5 and notched his 600th career hit in 518 career games.