Oswalt slams door on Cardinals' offense in Astros' win

~ Houston's starter struck out nine over seven innings.

HOUSTON -- The St. Louis Cardinals were just starting to feel good about their playoff chances. Then they ran into Roy Oswalt.

The Houston ace allowed four hits and struck out nine in seven dominant innings and the Astros beat the Cardinals 7-0 on Wednesday night, giving Cecil Cooper his first win as manager.

Lance Berkman and Luke Scott hit solo homers, Berkman added an RBI double off St. Louis starter Kip Wells and Houston won for just the third time in nine games.

Oswalt (14-6), who turned 30 on Wednesday, also had an RBI single and won for the sixth time in seven starts. He came into the game with a 1.18 ERA in his last six outings and showed no ill effects from a strained oblique muscle that forced him to miss a start last Thursday.

"I was a little worried going into the game," said Oswalt, who threw 99 pitches. "I took it easy the first few innings. After the fourth inning, I let it go."

Cooper took over the Astros after Phil Garner was fired Monday. Houston lost 7-0 in his debut Tuesday, but thanks to Oswalt, his second game went much smoother.

"My job was pretty easy tonight," Cooper said. "I had the best pitcher on the planet. Any time Roy takes the mound, you've got a great chance to win."

Houston catcher Brad Ausmus gave Cooper the game ball, a keepsake Cooper will cherish.

"I will save it," he said. "It's pretty special."

The Cardinals, who remained two games back in the NL Central, lost for the third time in nine games after getting back to .500 for the first time since April 16 on Tuesday. Manager Tony La Russa was ejected in the ninth by plate umpire Tim Tschida for arguing balls and strikes.

The rest of the Cardinals were just as frustrated by Oswalt, who's won seven of his last eight starts against St. Louis. He struck out four of the last six hitters he faced and allowed only one baserunner to reach second.

"He had good stuff," said Rick Ankiel, who had two of the Cardinals' six hits. "It was just electric. You just hope he makes a mistake."

Wells (6-15) lost his second straight decision and gave up two homers for the second time in three starts. He allowed five runs and nine hits with two strikeouts in six innings.

He trailed 4-0 after three innings, then shut down the Astros over the next three before allowing another run in the seventh.

But the Cardinals couldn't help Wells with their bats.

Aaron Miles doubled with two outs in the third, but Oswalt got David Eckstein to ground out. The Cardinals mustered only two more hits off Oswalt after that, a single by Albert Pujols in the fourth and an infield dribbler by Wells in the fifth.

"He was really sharp," La Russa said.