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Cardinals set to play host to Astros

(Sports Network) - Right-hander Braden Looper makes his fourth career start against the Houston Astros tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals begin a four- game series with Houston at Busch Stadium.

Looper, a career relief pitcher before this season, defeated the Astros, 7-0, on August 28 in Houston, scattering four hits over seven scoreless innings while striking out four.

The start marked the second in a string that's now reached five starts since Looper's last loss, a 2-1 decision against the Chicago Cubs on August 17. In five starts since, he's 2-0 and has allowed just nine earned runs in 30 1/3 innings.

Overall, Looper is 6-2 against the Astros with four saves and a 2.07 earned run average in 61 innings.

Houston's Wandy Rodriguez has never beaten the Cardinals and starts tonight.

He's 0-4 in five career outings -- four starts -- against St. Louis, including a 4-2 loss on April 6 in Houston in which he allowed four hits and three runs in seven innings.

The 28-year-old lefty has gone two starts without a win while being touched for 11 hits and 10 runs in just 7 1/3 innings. He defeated the Cubs, 6-1, on August 31, allowing four hits in six scoreless innings.

On Wednesday in Houston, Hunter Pence drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, as the Astros knocked Milwaukee out of first place with a 5-4 win at Minute Maid Park.

Carlos Lee homered and drove in a pair of runs against his old team, and Mark Loretta added an RBI for the Astros, who had dropped two straight and 10 of 13 coming in.

Juan Gutierrez started for Houston and allowed two runs over six frames. He was opposed by Dave Bush, who yielded just one run over six quality innings.

In St. Louis, Yadier Molina singled home the game-winner in the 10th inning, as the Cardinals downed the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1, to conclude a three- game series.

The Cards got the game-winner in the 10th off Phillies closer Brett Myers (4-7). Miguel Cairo singled, stole second, and with two outs, Molina beat a single into left field where Jayson Werth failed to make a throw home.

Molina finished 3-for-5 for the Cardinals, who ended a three-game skid. Adam Wainwright, who finished 2-for-3 and drove in the other run for St. Louis, allowed one run on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts over eight innings. Randy Flores (3-0) tossed a scoreless 10th for the win.

St. Louis holds a 7-5 edge in its season series with Houston this year and won two of three when the clubs met at Busch Stadium in early May.

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