NLCS: Astros close it out with no late doubt

MVP Roy Oswalt is stifling and the bullpen KOs the Cards for Houston's first World Series berth.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published October 20, 2005

	[Getty Images]
	Members of the Houston Astros pile up on each other after they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1.

ST. LOUIS - Where does momentum come from?

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said not from dramatic victories like the one his team pulled out in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, or cumulative effect such as the Astros can claim after starting the season 15-30.

La Russa said momentum in Wednesday night's Game 6 would come from St. Louis starter Mark Mulder or Houston's Roy Oswalt.

"So I hope Mulder is real sharp," La Russa said before the game, "and Oswalt isn't."

But it was Oswalt on the cutting edge as the Astros earned a 5-1 victory to take the best-of-seven series four games to two and advance to the World Series against the White Sox for the first time in their 44 seasons.

Game 1 is Saturday in Chicago.

"Let's just say," Astros manager Phil Garner said, "that winning is just fantastic."

It was a noble effort by the Astros who won for the second time on the road and overcame an emotional Game 5 loss in which they were one strike from victory but lost on Albert Pujols' three-run home run.

"We started off 15-30, do you think one game made that much of a difference?" third baseman Morgan Ensberg said. "We were still up 3-2. It may have looked dramatic from the outside. But from the inside we didn't see many problems."

Houston won for the first time in six NLCS clinching situations and avoided tying the Cubs who are a majors-worst 0-6. It also sent 40-year-old Busch Stadium to its Thanksgiving weekend implosion with one less notch on its belt.

Credit Oswalt, who was named series MVP after his second road victory over Mulder. The right-hander, who threw 118 pitches in seven innings, did not allow a hit until the fifth and allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts.

He also made good on his wife's dream Tuesday night that the team would win.

"What can you say?" first baseman Lance Berkman said. "It was awesome. It will probably go down as one of the best performances in the postseason."

"Yeah I could classify it as one of my biggest games just because of the history of the team of not being in the World Series after so many years and getting so close," Oswalt said.

Oswalt wasn't alone.

Rightfielder Jason Lane hit his second home run. Catcher Brad Ausmus had three hits. Shortstop Adam Everett played sparkling defense. And relievers Chad Qualls and former Devil Ray Dan Wheeler each pitched a scoreless inning. Wheeler struck out two.

Take away Pujols' home run and Houston's bullpen gave up one run in 15 innings.

The end was bitter for the Cardinals, who won 100 games and won the Central Division by 11 games over the Astros. Some of the sellout crowd of 52,438 left after the eighth. Others booed when it was over, though they were drowned out by cheers.

La Russa said he understands. "I think there's a strong segment of our support that marks your season with not getting to the World Series but winning it," he said. "So with that group, you know, we failed."

With some help.

"He pitched outstanding," La Russa said of Oswalt. "When a pitcher is out there pitching that way, you're not going to do much. It makes your team look like, "What's going on?'

"You can't get on base. You can't string any hits. Just outstanding pitching."

Pitching the Cardinals could not match.

Mulder allowed three runs in 42/3 innings and threw two of St. Louis' three wild pitches, including one that scored Houston's first run.

Not that he got much help. The top six in the Cardinals' order were 2-for-21. Pujols, most notably, was 0-for-4.

"I know a lot of people were writing us off after that home run," said second baseman Craig Biggio, who has been with the Astros for 18 years. "He ripped our hearts out. But we have a lot of faith and pride in the clubhouse."

And a pitcher who knew how to create some momentum.

[Last modified October 20, 2005, 01:20:19]