Cardinals move closer to clinching

ST. LOUIS -- Jim Edmonds' sacrifice fly snapped an eighth-inning tie and Matt Morris bounced back from one of his worst starts of the season, bringing the St. Louis Cardinals one step closer to the National League Central championship with a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

Edmonds also hit his 42nd homer, matching his career best set in 2000. The Cardinals have won only three of eight, but reduced their magic number for clinching the division to four.

Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer and Lance Berkman had two hits, giving him six in the last two games. Houston has lost only four of its last 19 games, but fell two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the wild-card race.

Albert Pujols started the eighth-inning rally with a one-out single off Russ Springer (0-1). Edgar Renteria followed with a single to snap an 0-for-24 slump, and Pujols went to third when center fielder Carlos Beltran bobbled the ball for an error.

Edmonds followed with a liner to center for his 108th RBI. Renteria came around one batter later on a wild pitch.

Kiko Calero (2-1) retired the top of the order in the eighth, striking out Craig Biggio, retiring Beltran on a tapper to the mound and then striking out Jeff Bagwell. Jason Isringhausen worked the ninth for his 42nd save in 48 chances.

Berkman, who's 6-for-8 the last two games, reached on an infield hit to start the second and scored on Kent's 22nd homer to give the Astros a 2-0 lead. Edmonds answered with his 11th homer in 17 games off Carlos Hernandez in the home half.

The Cardinals tied it at 2-2 on Mike Matheny's RBI double in the fourth.

Morris was smacked around in his previous start, allowing two homers and seven runs in two innings in a loss at San Diego, but followed with a solid performance Wednesday night. He allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings.

Hernandez made his seventh start of the season and lasted six innings, giving up two runs on four hits.

Tony Womack got his 35th infield hit in the third. His total is the most for the Cardinals since Vince Coleman had 43 in 1989. Womack also had one of the top defensive plays of the game when he turned pinch-hitter Morgan Ensberg's sharp grounder behind the second-base bag into an inning-ending double play in the seventh.