Cardinals 13, Astros 5
David Freese homered and drove in four runs and Matt Holliday had two hits and four RBIs as host St. Louis completed a three-game sweep of reeling Houston.
Allen Craig had three hits and three RBIs to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and help the Cardinals erase an early 4-0 deficit in handing the Astros their seventh consecutive defeat.
Jake Westbrook (13-9) was the beneficiary of the rally, earning the win despite giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings - his shortest outing since June 3.
Freese started the comeback in the fourth inning with his 17th homer, a three-run blast that cut the lead to 4-3, and Holliday had a three-run double to spark a five-run fifth inning and keep St. Louis in control of the second wild card spot.
Holliday added a run-scoring single in the eighth to tie teammate Carlos Beltran and Milwaukee's Ryan Braun for the NL lead with 85 RBIs.
Jose Altuve had two hits and two RBIs and Ben Francisco added three hits for Houston, which has lost 43 of its last 50 games and fell to 0-4 under interim manager Tony DeFrancesco.
Astros rookie left-hander Dallas Keuchel (1-6) absorbed his sixth consecutive defeat, allowing six runs - five earned - in four-plus innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Craig's hitting streak is the longest active run in the majors. ... Cardinals rookie Ryan Jackson picked up his first major league hit with a pinch-hit single in the fifth inning. ... Houston's three sacrifice flies were one short of the league best this year set by Tampa Bay and Arizona. ... RHP Edward Mujica has made 10 straight scoreless appearances since the Cardinals acquired him from Miami. ... Altuve registered his 45th multiple-hit game of the season. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina had a run-scoring single to reach 60 RBIs for the third straight season. ... Houston heads to New York for a three-game series with the Mets while St. Louis opens a rugged 10-game road trip at NL Central-leading Cincinnati.