Cardinals' Williams throws another gem

HOUSTON -- Woody Williams pitched a three-hitter for his fourth straight victory and Craig Paquette hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Houston Astros 3-2 Tuesday night.

The Cardinals closed within 4 1/2 games of first-place Houston in the NL Central. The loss kept the Astros' magic number at seven for clinching their fourth division title in five seasons.

Williams (14-9) won for the eighth time in nine decisions. On July 13, he allowed five home runs in five innings in an 11-3 loss to the Astros.

Williams struck out nine and walked three in his ninth career complete game.

With the score tied at 2 in the eighth, Jim Edmonds singled with two outs off Wade Miller (16-8) and Mark McGwire walked on a full count. Paquette singled off Miller's glove into center field.

Craig Biggio led off the Astros' first with a double and later scored on Paquette's error at third base. Daryle Ward's RBI grounder made it 2-0.

The Cardinals tied it in the third on an RBI single by J.D. Drew and a two-base error by right fielder Lance Berkman.

Miller matched Williams by keeping the Cardinals out of scoring position until the eighth. He walked two batters with two outs in the sixth but Eli Marrero flied out to end the inning.

Miller pitched 7 2-3 innings and allowed two earned runs and struck out six. He equaled a season high with five walks.