Coming out on the winning end of a tense defensive dual, the Houston Astros took a 3-1 series lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and find themselves one win away from being the first team from Texas to reach the World Series.
Poised as can be no matter how tough the task, Brad Lidge pulled off another great escape against St. Louis.
Now it’s the steaming-mad Cardinals who are in a serious jam in the NL Championship Series.
Defensive replacement Eric Bruntlett started a game-ending double play, Lidge wriggled out of a major mess in the ninth inning and the Houston Astros scratched out a 2-1 victory Sunday in Game 4 to move within one win of their first trip to the World Series.
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The Astros can close it out at home Monday night, with Andy Pettitte on the mound against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter.
St. Louis has quite an uphill climb if it wants to win its second consecutive pennant. The Cardinals must face Pettitte, Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens in the next three games — if they can push it that far.
Sweet.