CHICAGO -- Michael Wacha snapped the longest active losing streak in the Majors against a team he has struggled against.
Wacha allowed two runs and three hits, struck out five and walked two in 6 2/3 innings as the Cardinals beat the Cubs, 7-2, Wednesday to complete their first three-game sweep at Wrigley Field since May 1988.
Wacha ended a career-high seven-game losing streak and lowered his ERA to 4.41. He had last won April 23 against the Padres.
"It's been a while, for sure," said Wacha, who as an All-Star last season went 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA. "It's nice to finally get a 'W.' I don't really think about it too much, the wins. It's more of just a self-evaluation after each start of how I pitched. Wins are an added bonus. It's a good feeling."
Wacha also bested reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta, who allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings.
• Cardinals' bats solve ace Arrieta
"I'm not going to prepare myself in a different way just because of who I'm facing," Wacha said. "I just see the lineup, and I'm going to try to go out there and attack them the best I can and give the team a chance to win a ballgame."
Wacha was 3-4 with a 5.90 ERA in 50 1/3 innings against the Cubs -- and 0-3 with a 10.89 ERA in his previous four starts against the NL Central leaders. He exited after allowing a two-run home run to rookie Willson Contreras in the seventh.

Wacha has been better in his past three starts, allowing five earned runs in 21 1/3 innings.
"Continuing to build on where he's been," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "I thought this was his best one."
The defense helped the right-hander. In the fourth, left fielder Brandon Moss made a running, sliding catch on a fly ball struck by Jason Heyward. Moss then fired to first base to double up Chris Coghlan, who ran past second base. The play prevented a possible run, as Kris Bryant walked and Anthony Rizzo singled for the Cubs' first hit before Ben Zobrist grounded out to end the inning.

"I just told him, 'Heck of a play,'" Wacha said about Moss. "It changed the inning completely around. He's a guy you can put in the outfield or first base. He can play around the field. So it's a good commodity to have."
With the sweep, the Cardinals bounce back from an 0-5 homestand against the Astros and Rangers.
"We were right there in all those games against the Rangers," Wacha said. "We battled that series. We kept battling in this series."