Astros win 14th straight at home

Houston moved to within a half-game of the wild-card lead with a 2-1 win over the Cardinals.

By Joel Anderson ~ The Associated Press

HOUSTON -- Jeff Bagwell drove in two runs and Brandon Backe pitched five solid innings to help the Houston Astros gain ground in the NL wild-card race with a 2-1 win over the Cardinals on Tuesday night.

The Astros moved within a half-game of the Chicago Cubs, who lost to Cincinnati 8-3 at Wrigley Field. San Francisco (87-69) was also a half-game back, percentage points ahead of Houston (88-70). The Giants played at San Diego later.

St. Louis third baseman Scott Rolen went 0-for-3 in his return after missing 16 games with a strained upper left calf and bruised left shin.

Houston has won five of its last six and tied a franchise record with its 14th straight home win, equaling a mark set in 1980.

Bagwell drove in Backe with a third-inning single, then gave the Astros the lead with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly that scored Carlos Beltran.

Backe (4-3), used primarily as a reliever this season, gave up a homer to Larry Walker in the second. He allowed five hits, struck out three and walked three -- and also singled in the third, raising his batting average to .286.

Chad Qualls pitched two scoreless innings, Dan Miceli got two outs in the eighth and Brad Lidge got four outs for his 26th save in 30 chances.

The Astros missed a chance to add more runs with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth. Morgan Ensberg grounded into a double play, and Jose Vizcaino flied out to center.

Beltran prevented the Cardinals from taking the lead in the fifth, catching pitcher Dan Haren's drive, then throwing out Reggie Sanders at the plate for a double play. Sanders and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa protested the call to no avail.

Beltran then led off the bottom of the inning with a triple to deep center -- the ball landed on the uphill slope near the wall -- and scored on Bagwell's fly.

The game started as an impressive duel between two inexperienced pitchers, Backe and Haren.

Haren (3-3) allowed two runs on six hits in five innings in his fifth career start. He had a career-high six strikeouts with a walk. Notes: The Astros clinched the best September winning percentage in franchise history. ... Houston leads the season series against St. Louis 9-8.