Cards, Astros to play for title

ST. LOUIS -- With one game to go, the NL Central is still up for grabs.

Jim Edmonds homered and had three RBIs as the St. Louis Cardinals regained the division lead by defeating the Houston Astros 10-6 Saturday.

While both teams clinched postseason berths when San Francisco lost late Friday night, the division title will be decided on the final day, with the winner of today's game also winning the Central.

"I remember in August, everyone was asking me about the last series of the year, which was the Cubs," Astros manager Larry Dierker said. "I kept telling everybody, 'Don't forget about the Cardinals."'

St. Louis (93-68), which wound up as Houston's final opponent because of the extra week added to the regular season, took a one-game lead over the Astros (92-69), who lead the season series 8-7.

If the Astros win today, when the Cardinals' Darryl Kile (16-10) pitches against Shane Reynolds (13-11), the teams would finish with identical records and Houston would win the division title because of a better head-to-head record.

"Who wants to start the season and shoot for second place?" Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny said. "We've got everything in sight."

The division winner starts the playoffs at home Tuesday against Atlanta and the wild card opens Tuesday at Arizona.

"This will be one last playoff game before the real playoffs start," the Astros' Craig Biggio said. "It's been like the playoffs for us the last 3 1/2 weeks."

St. Louis was helped by three Astros errors, two by first baseman Jeff Bagwell in the third inning.

"I had a bad day, there's no getting around it," Bagwell said. "I've made bad throws before, but this just happened to be in a big situation. I'll shake it off and come back."

Craig Paquette, who filled the No. 6 slot usually held by slumping Mark McGwire, was 4-for-5 with an RBI. Fernando Vina homered and drove in two runs.

St. Louis has won 17 of 21 and is an NL-best 50-25 since the All-Star break.

McGwire struck out all four at-bats Friday night's 2-1 Houston win and is batting .188 with 29 homers and 64 RBIs.

Biggio hit a three-run homer that put the Astros ahead 5-3 in the fourth and was hit by a pitch twice, hiking his major league-leading total to 28. Moises Alou had a two-run double in the third, but also dropped an easy pop fly that allowed a run to score in the Cardinals' four-run fifth.

Bagwell, hit Placido Polanco in the shoulder trying for a force play at second in the third, and threw wide of the bag on Edmonds' potential double-play ball to allow two runs to score two batters later.

Matheny's two-run double in the fifth to put the Cardinals ahead 6-5. Vina added an RBI double and Alou's dropped fly made it a three-run cushion.

"Every time I go out there, I try and do my best," Alou said. "I make some bad plays and I make some good plays."

Edmonds hit his 30th homer, a two-run shot in the eighth of Mike Williams.

"I've been a little overanxious all weekend," Edmonds said. "I just want to be part of something special."

Both bullpens saw plenty of action. Dustin Hermanson of St. Louis hit three batters in three-plus innings, allowing four runs and four hits.

"I was way too fired up," Hermanson said. "I've been thinking about it for a couple days and was trying to make sure I was able to channel it the right way. My mechanics were completely out of place."

Houston's Ron Villone (6-10) gave up eight runs -- four earned -- and 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Mike Timlin (4-5) allowed one run and two hits in two-plus innings. Dave Veres walked in a run in the seventh before Steve Kline worked the last two innings for his ninth save in 10 chances.

NOTES: The Cardinals are in the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 1967-68. ... The Cardinals are an NL-best 54-27 at home, the franchise's best since 1985, when they also were 54-27. ... Edmonds has a career-high 110 RBIs, two more than last year. He has 49 RBIs in last 43 games. ... The Astros are an NL-best 48-32 on the road.