~ The Cardinals reliever has overcome a slow start to lead the NL with 17 saves.

ST. LOUIS -- Every successful outing seems to distance Jason Isringhausen from his spotty start to the season.

The St. Louis Cardinals' closer has 11 saves in a row, leads the National League with 17 in 19 chances and showcased his workhorse mentality by working two strong innings in Wednesday's 11-inning victory over the Houston Astros.

"As a relief pitcher, I think you get on a roll," Isringhausen said. "You figure out a little thing here or there with your mechanics, and things fall in order."

Isringhausen was a perfect 10-for-10 last month, including a save that defused a bases-loaded, one-out jam against the New York Mets on May 17. The roll has a lot of momentum, along with a bit of luck.

"I get away with some pitches now, and before I wasn't getting away with them," Isringhausen said. "That all comes with making more good pitches than bad pitches."

During his darkest days early in the season, the team helped Isringhausen turn it around by assembling a video featuring some of his biggest moments. That, combined with a few mechanical adjustments, put him back on track and has silenced suggestions that the Cardinals perhaps give someone else, such as rookie Adam Wainwright, a shot at closer.

Still, Isringhausen likes to say it's a day-to-day proposition. He was highly critical of himself in April after giving up a grand slam to Michael Barrett of the Cubs and homers to Carlos Lee of the Brewers and Jose Hernandez of the Pirates.

"I feel good, I feel like I'm on a roll," Isringhausen said. "But rolls tend to stop pretty quick. I've got to keep this thing going."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has told Isringhausen to avoid that type of thinking.

"I think that's the Izzy we've seen the whole season," La Russa said after Isringhausen's three-strikeout stint on Wednesday. "The guy's leading the league in saves."

Soon, he'll be on top of the Cardinals' career leaderboard, too. He has 157 saves with the team, only three shy of Lee Smith's franchise record.

Noteworthy

* Chris Carpenter, on the 15-day disabled list with bursitis in his back, remains on track to return to the rotation next week. He felt fine on Wednesday, the day after testing the back in a bullpen session, and is scheduled to throw again on Friday.

* Albert Pujols is the third player in major league history to hit 25 home runs by the end of May. Barry Bonds hit 28 in his 73-homer season in 2001 and Mark McGwire had 27 in his 70-homer season in 1998.

* The Cardinals are the only team in the majors without a home run from their catchers, while their pitchers have totaled two.

* David Eckstein has 23 multi-hit games, tied for the National League lead with Florida's Miguel Cabrera, after getting two more hits on Wednesday. "He gives you as tough an at-bat as anybody on our club, Albert included," La Russa said.