Astros hold Phils at bay by rallying to defeat Cards

ST. LOUIS — Morgan Ensberg's tiebreaking double in the ninth inning, his fourth hit of the game, gave Houston a 7-6 victory over St. Louis on Wednesday night and maintain the Astros' 2 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia in the NL wild-card race.

With the score 6-6, Willy Taveras led off the ninth with his major league-leading 69th infield hit. He scored without a play on Ensberg's double into the left-field corner off Jason Isringhausen (1-2).

Houston swept a two-game series against the NL Central champions, finishing the season 5-11 against St. Louis.

Philadelphia beat New York 16-6 on Wednesday.

Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb homered for the Astros (87-71), who are a season-best 16 games above .500. Chad Qualls (6-4) worked a perfect eighth, and Brad Lidge finished for his 40th save.

PHILLIES 16, METS 6: At Philadelphia, Chase Utley hit a three-run homer and drove in five runs, and David Bell and Kenny Lofton each had four hits to keep Philadelphia's postseason hopes alive.

The Phillies avoided a three-game sweep and remained 2 1/2 games behind the Astros, who beat St. Louis 7-6.

Jimmy Rollins extended his club-record hitting streak to 33 games with a leadoff single, and Shane Victorino and Pat Burrell each homered during a seven-run eighth inning. Utley drove in two runs in the eighth to give him 101 RBIs, and the Phillies had a season-high 20 hits.

PIRATES 3, CUBS 2: At Chicago, rookie Nate McLouth homered for the third straight day to lead Pittsburgh.

The Cubs finished the season 38-43 at Wrigley Field.

Paul Maholm (3-1), in his sixth major league start, outpitched Mark Prior (11-7), who lost to Pittsburgh for the first time in his career. Maholm gave up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

McLouth's fourth homer of the season, a solo shot, gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead in the fifth against Prior. Dropping to 6-1 in 11 starts against the Pirates. Prior allowed three runs — one earned — and six hits in five innings.

ROCKIES 10, BRAVES 5: At Atlanta, Colorado's Clint Barmes drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run double in the sixth.

Fourteen rookies started for the Braves and Rockies, including the starting pitchers for both. It was the most rookies to start a major league game since Sept. 24, 2003, when 14 started for Cleveland and Minnesota.

Jeff Francis (14-12) gave up seven hits and four runs, three earned, in five innings for Colorado.