St. Louis @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2011 ) St. Louis 4, Houston 5

THE STORY: The St. Louis Cardinals had a chance to pull even in the National League wild card race on Monday. Unfortunately, they fell a few feet short. The Cardinals won a pair of games in dramatic fashion over the weekend and looked poised to do the same on Monday as they fought back from a 4-1 deficit to force extra innings. But in the end, two straight bunts put a big dent in their playoff hopes. The Houston Astros have made it clear that they will not be rolling over for their division rivals. St. Louis will be looking to start quickly and avoid the dramatic endings when it sends Jake Westbrook to the mound at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSMW (St. Louis), FSH (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (12-9, 4.48 ERA) vs. Astros RH Henry Sosa (3-5, 4.68 ERA).

Westbrook has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his last five outings and was in line for a win last Thursday before the bullpen squandered a four-run lead in the ninth inning against the New York Mets. The veteran sinkerballer has struggled with his command a bit recently, issuing nine walks in 9 1/3 innings over his last two appearances. Westbrook has beaten Houston twice this season, yielding a total of three earned runs in 11 2/3 innings.

Sosa is attempting to finish up the season strong and lock up a spot in Houston’s 2012 rotation. The 26-year old rookie has recorded a quality start in five of his last six turns. He scattered nine hits against Colorado last week but limited the damage to three runs in 6 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Sosa has never faced the Cardinals.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (88-72): St. Louis kept its season alive and pulled to within one game of the Braves over the weekend by coming from behind to secure a pair of one-run wins over the rival Chicago Cubs. Visiting lowly Houston in the final series, the Cardinals seemed to be in a great position. Atlanta’s loss was posted on the Minute Maid Park scoreboard just as St. Louis began to come back again, getting a two-run double from former Astro Lance Berkman to knot it at 4-4. But the wheels came off in the 10th, when Octavio Dotel allowed a leadoff double and then committed an error on a sacrifice bunt. Houston went right back to the bunt, challenging Dotel again and coming through with the winning run. St. Louis has ace Chris Carpenter lined up for the series final on Wednesday.

ABOUT THE ASTROS (56-104): Houston’s back-to-back bunts in the 10th made it clear that they will play this final series to win. This is as close as the Astros young players might get to a playoff atmosphere in a while and manager Brad Mills is taking advantage. Brian Bogusevic got the pinch-hit double that started the 10th inning rally and Matt Downs hit a two-run homer in the contest. Another rookie, J.D. Martinez, was forced to leave Monday’s game in the fifth inning with a bruised left foot.

FINAL PITCH: St. Louis shortstop Rafael Furcal left Monday’s game in the fifth inning due to tightness in his left hamstring. He was replaced by Nick Punto as part of a double switch. Furcal hit a key home run in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Cubs and has seven multi-hit games this month.