Game Recap

Oswalt dominates as Astros close in on wild card berth

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Roy Oswalt moved closer to No. 20, while Jason Lane and Craig Biggio reached No. 25. More importantly, the Houston Astros are closing in on their No. 1 goal.

Oswalt worked seven stellar innings and Lane and Biggio homered as the Astros moved to the brink of a postseason berth with a 3-1 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals, who continue to limp into the playoffs.

The Astros (86-71) appeared as if they might be vulnerable in the chase for the National League wild card spot this weekend after dropping two of three to the Chicago Cubs , cutting their lead over Philadelphia to one game.

However, the Astros' win Tuesday, coupled with the Phillies' losses to the New York Mets on both Monday and Tuesday, left Houston 2 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia with just five remaining.

The 28-year-old Oswalt (19-12) continued to shoulder the load, allowing one run and eight hits to improving to 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA this month. The righthander struck out seven without a walk to move within one win of his second straight 20-win campaign.

Oswalt received all the support he needed in the sixth inning, when Mike Lamb delivered a two-out single and Lane followed by depositing a 2-1 pitch from Cardinals starter Matt Morris over the center field wall for his 25th homer and a 2-0 lead.

St. Louis halved the deficit in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back doubles by Larry Walker and Reggie Sanders , but Houston tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on Biggio's 25th blast, which set a new career high.

Brad Lidge pitched the eighth and ninth without yielding a hit to pick up his 39th save in 42 chances.

Morris (14-10) pitched well, allowing two runs and five hits in six frames. The righthander struck out three and walked only one, throwing 60 of 92 pitches for strikes.

Walker finished with three hits for the Cardinals, who already have clinched the NL Central but have dropped six of their last eight games and are still three wins shy of 100.