By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: Chicago Cubs starter Jon Lester who carried a no hitter against the San Francisco Giants in Friday’s matinee at Wrigley Field delivers a pitch in the fifth inning

Sooner or later, the San Francisco Giants will break out of this funk that they have been in since the end of the All-Star break.

Jon Lester threw 6.2 innings of no-hit ball and threw his second complete game of the season, as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Giants 2-1 at Wrigley Field.

With the victory, the Cubs are now a season-high 40 games over .500, as they continue to lead the second place St. Louis Cardinals by a wide margin.

Hunter Pence ended Lester’s no-hitter, as he hit his second home run in as many days and then Brandon Crawford added a double; however the rally ended when Lester got Eduardo Nunez to line out to Kris Bryant at third base.

Lester allowed a double to Trevor Brown in the eighth inning, and that was it, as he improved to 15-4 on the season. Lester allowed walked just two in the complete game outing.

The last time the Cubs were 40 games over .500 was in 1945, the last time they made the World Series.

Dexter Fowler and David Ross drove in the only runs that Lester would need off of Albert Suarez in the bottom of the second inning.

The Pence home run broke a 12.2 inning hit less streak, as the Giants fall to a major league worst 15-29 since the All-Star break.

Buster Posey walked against Lester in the top of the first inning, and then settled down by retiring the next 18 batters.

Lester received help from his defense, as Bryant snared a Crawford line drive in the top of the fifth and then Dexter Fowler made a sliding catch off a Kelby Tomlinson hit in the top of the sixth inning.

Matt Cain was activated off the disabled list with a back injury, and Brown returned to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game with an illness. Brown was tested for strep throat, and the results were negative