Cardinals 4, Astros 2
Gerald Laird had a two-run double in the second inning and Kyle McClellan tossed eight strong frames to secure his National League-leading sixth win of the season as the St. Louis Cardinals recorded a 4-2 home victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday.
With Matt Holliday (quadriceps) and Lance Berkman (wrist) nursing injuries suffered in Wednesday's game, Allen Craig and Colby Rasmus performed well in their absence. Craig, who had three hits, belted a solo homer in the fifth after joining Rasmus by scoring on Laird's double to left field.
With traditional starting catcher Yadier Molina receiving a day off, Laird doubled his RBI total for the season with the base hit.
Ryan Theriot added a run-scoring single in the seventh inning for St. Louis, which swept its second consecutive two-game series. The Cardinals took two straight from the Philadelphia Phillies earlier in the week.
McClellan (6-1) rebounded from his lone loss of the season by allowing two runs and five hits in this one. Fernando Salas got the final three outs to collect his fifth save of the season.
J.A. Happ (3-5) permitted three runs and four hits in six innings to fall to 1-4 in his career against the Cardinals.
Carlos Lee had a run-scoring sacrifice fly and Humberto Quintero scored on a wild pitch for Houston, which has dropped five in a row and 12 of its last 15.