Sandberg Rescues Cubs, 4-2 : Baseball: His home run and double help Chicago end a four-game losing streak with a victory over Houston.

Ryne Sandberg knew the Chicago Cubs had to do something to halt their four-game losing streak.

Who better than Ryno?

Sandberg homered in the first inning and doubled home the go-ahead run in the fifth Friday, leading the Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros.

“We needed to get one under our belt, get relaxed and back to the way we were playing,” Sandberg said. “It was nice to get some runs for a change.”

Nobody had more praise for Sandberg than Cubs manager Jim Lefebvre.

“I know everybody appreciates him, but I, as a manager, appreciate him more every day,” Lefebvre said.

Mike Harkey (3-0) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and six hits in seven innings, his longest stint since returning from shoulder surgery on June 20. Paul Assenmacher got four outs for his seventh save.

Darryl Kile (2-7) gave up four runs and six hits in six innings as Houston dropped to 7-11 on its 26-game road trip, which was caused by the Republican National Convention.

Houston, who had won its previous three games, took the lead in the first when Craig Biggio reached on third baseman Steve Buechele’s throwing error and scored on Steve Finley’s double. But Sandberg tied the score in the bottom of the inning with his 15th home run.

“The one thing you didn’t want to do was get the ball up in the air with the wind blowing in,” Sandberg said. “But I got all of it.”

Chicago went ahead in the second when Steve Buechele tripled and Jose Vizcaino singled, but the Astros tied the score at 2 in the fourth on a triple by Ken Caminiti and a single by Luis Gonzalez.

Doug Dascenzo singled opening the fifth, and Sandberg doubled and took third on Eric Anthony’s errant throw to the infield. Sandberg scored on a wild pitch by Kile.

Houston had a chance to go ahead in the fifth when Jeff Bagwell doubled to left. But Vizcaino’s relay of Derrick May’s throw to shortstop was perfect, and catcher Rick Wilkins tagged out Craig Biggio to end the inning.

“He held onto the ball and did his job,” said Biggio, who tried to crash through Wilkins.

“It was a big play for them,” Houston manager Art Howe said. “We try to be aggressive when possible but it didn’t work out that time. We’d have had the lead and something going.”

Vizcaino made the most of his chance to play. Rey Sanchez had a stiff back.

“I’m not playing that much so when I get the chance, I want to have a good game,” Vizcaino said.

Notes

Rookie Jim Bullinger will make his first major league start against Houston on Saturday. Bullinger (1-2) has seven saves in as many opportunities. He had six straight during a streak June 8-19. Lefebvre said he will be watched closely after 85 pitches. . . . Kal Daniels, who did not report to Thursday night’s game because of a touch of flu, was at the ballpark and said he was feeling better. . . . Lefebvre said he has no fine system for players missing signs, such as Rick Wilkins did when he failed to attempt to bunt on the first pitch in the ninth inning Thursday night. “It was an honest mistake but I guarantee you it won’t happen again,” Lefebvre said. . . . This was the 18th game of Houston’s 28-day trip. The club has traveled 5,402 of the 9,186 miles it will cover. . . . When Casey Candaele stole second in the ninth inning, it was the 100th stolen base for the Astros, making it the seventh straight season they have reached that mark.