Mulder scores a 10

ST. LOUIS -- Mark Mulder threw a 10-inning shutout, outpitching Roger Clemens in a marquee matchup and leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Houston Astros 1-0 Saturday.

Larry Walker's RBI single off Brad Lidge in the 10th won it for the Cardinals, moving manager Tony La Russa into a tie with Joe McCarthy for fifth place on the career victories list at 2,125.

Clemens allowed four hits in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 0.32 and pushing his scoreless streak to 23 innings. But he was thwarted for the third straight time in his bid for his 330th win. He remains tied with Steve Carlton for ninth on the career list.

The Astros have not scored a run for Clemens in 22 innings. They did not even put a runner on third base in this one.

Mulder (2-1) set a career high for innings pitched, giving up four hits, striking out five and walking none in his ninth career shutout and 23rd complete game. The lanky left-hander, acquired from Oakland in an offseason trade, lowered his ERA from 4.74 to 3.10.

The first Cardinals starter to go 10 innings since Jose DeLeon pitched 11 against Cincinnati in 1989, Mulder threw only 101 pitches.

Mulder has not allowed an earned run in his past two starts, giving up just six hits in 18 innings.

"He pitched a pretty decent game, but we swung at a lot of balls," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "We need to be a little better selective the next time out."

Pinch-hitter Reggie Sanders led off the 10th with an infield single against Chad Qualls (1-1). After Sanders moved to second on a groundout, Lidge came in to face Walker, who lined a single to left to score Sanders.

Clemens, who threw 126 pitches, had six strikeouts and a season-high four walks. He and Mulder were facing each other for the first time in a regular-season game. They were the starting pitchers in last year's All-Star game.

In six career starts against the Cardinals, Clemens is 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA. That doesn't include the 2004 postseason, in which Clemens lost Game 7 of the NL Championship Series at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but Roger Cedeno, who had been 10-for-24 against Clemens, grounded out to end the inning.