HOUSTON -- Edgar Renteria hit an RBI single in the 10th inning as the Cardinals beat the Astros 3-2 Friday night to extend their lead in the NL Central.

Renteria had three hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who lead second-place Houston by 6 1/2 games.

Albert Pujols led off the 10th against Tom Gordon (1-3) with a double to the left-center gap. Pinch-runner Eli Marrero went to third on a throwing error by Gordon, who turned and made a pickoff throw to second with no one covering the bag.

Marrero scored on Renteria's ground single to left.

Rick White (3-6) pitched two innings for the victory. Jason Isringhausen pitched the 10th for his 30th save in 34 chances.

The Cardinals ended Roy Oswalt's string of nine consecutive victories and kept him from becoming the eighth Astros pitcher to win 20 games in a season.

Oswalt got a no-decision and threw a season-high 120 pitches. He allowed eight hits, struck out seven and walked three before leaving with the score tied at 2 after seven innings.

Oswalt had won nine straight starts since a no-decision July 21 at Chicago. His last loss was July 16 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Back-to-back defensive plays by J.D. Drew kept the score tied at 2 in the fifth inning. Craig Biggio led off with a double and Lance Berkman walked before Drew retreated to the right-field wall and made a perfectly timed leap to deny Jeff Bagwell a three-run homer.

Daryle Ward then flied out to Drew, who threw out Biggio at the plate to end the inning.

Oswalt escaped the seventh and kept the score tied at 2 when Pujols hit into a double play with no outs and two runners on and Scott Rolen flied out.

The Astros loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning off Jason Simontacchi, who gave up a single to Brian Hunter, hit Biggio with a pitch and allowed a single by Lance Berkman.

He escaped with just one run.