Cardinals 5, Astros 4
Matt Carpenter belted a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning as host St. Louis extended its winning streak to five games.
Matt Holliday had two hits and two RBIs while Matt Adams contributed a run-scoring single among a pair of hits as the Cardinals moved 21 games above .500 and beat Houston for the eighth consecutive time at Busch Stadium.
Seth Maness (5-1) recorded the win despite giving up the lead in the top of the seventh in relief of Shelby Miller, who was charged with three runs in five innings. Trevor Rosenthal gave up two hits in a scoreless eighth before Edward Mujica worked out of a jam in the ninth for his 25th save in 26 chances.
Houston's Chris Carter swatted a solo homer - his 18th - and Brett Wallace had a career-high four hits, including an RBI single off Maness that briefly gave the Astros a 4-3 lead. Starter Jordan Lyles was charged with four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Holliday's two-run single in the fifth erased a 3-1 deficit before the Astros reclaimed the lead when Wallace singled home Jose Altuve in the seventh. Lyles exited with one on and one out in the bottom of the inning, and Carpenter greeted Wesley Wright (0-3) with his ninth homer - a shot into the right-field seats.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cardinals C Yadier Molina, the NL leader in batting with a .343 average, was held out of the starting lineup Wednesday but struck out as a pinch-hitter. He missed two games over the weekend with soreness in his right knee. ... Astros RF J.D. Martinez had a run-scoring single in the fifth, extending his RBI streak to four games. ... Cardinals RHP Chris Carpenter pitched a three-inning simulated game Wednesday and will begin a rehab assignment Monday at Double-A Springfield. The former Cy Young Award winner has yet to pitch this season while attempting to come back from a nerve condition in his shoulder.