NLCS Phat Albert: Pujols' homer helps Cardinals stay alive

The Cardinals first baseman hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Whoa there, Astros.
Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals aren't ready to hand over that NL pennant just yet.
With Houston only one tantalizing out from its first World Series, Pujols saved St. Louis by hitting a stunning three-run homer off Brad Lidge in the ninth inning, and the Cardinals rallied for a 5-4 victory Monday night in Game 5 of the NL championship series.
Pujols' shot over the train tracks high above the left-field wall sent the series back to St. Louis for Game 6 on Wednesday night.
One strike from ecstasy before David Eckstein's ninth-inning single, the Astros dropped to an agonizing 0-5 with a chance to clinch the NLCS.
Mark Grudzielanek had a two-run single that put the Cardinals ahead in the sixth inning.
Pitching duel
Astros starter Andy Pettitte, making his 33rd career postseason start, had struck out Pujols and Reggie Sanders in succession with two runners on before Grudzielanek, who was just 4-for-29 in the series, flared a single to right-center field in the third for a 2-1 lead.
Pettitte and Chris Carpenter, in a rematch of Game 1 of the NLCS, both remained in the game despite high pitch counts through six innings.
Carpenter had thrown 98 pitches, two more than Pettitte, who was on deck when Adam Everett grounded out to end the sixth, only the second inning Carpenter faced just three batters.
The Cardinals had gone 1-2-3 against Pettitte just once, in the fourth when third baseman Morgan Ensberg made a backhanded play and right fielder Jason Lane's sliding catch.
The Cardinals, who won 100 games during the regular season, were trying to stave off elimination and avoid their first four-game losing streak this year.
Houston, trying to clinch its first World Series berth in its 44th season, led 1-0 in the second after a broken-bat RBI single by Craig Biggio, the 39-year-old second baseman who has spent his entire career with the Astros.
World Series drought
Game 5 of the NLCS came on the 45th anniversary of the day Houston was awarded its NL franchise at a meeting in Chicago -- where the World Series begins Saturday night. No franchise has been in the same city longer without going to a World Series.
Only the handle of the bat was left in Biggio's hands -- the rest flew into the Cardinals dugout -- after he hit Carpenter's pitch in the second. The ball dropped into short left field for his second single of the game and Brad Ausmus ran home.
Carpenter won 21 games during the regular season, going 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in five regular-season starts against the Astros before beating them 5-3 in Game 1 of the series.
Pettitte gave up five runs and eight hits over six innings in the NLCS opener. The left-hander pitched that night with a swollen right knee after being struck by a sharply hit ball while running the bases during pregame batting practice. (He didn't run the bases before Monday's game).
ST. LOUISHOUSTON
abrhbiabrhbi
Eckstin ss4220Biggio 2b4121
Edmnd cf3210Brntlett 2b0000
Pujols 1b5113JVzcno ph1000
RSndrs lf5010Burke cf4110
LWalkr rf3000Brkmn lf3123
Isrnghs p0000Ensbrg 3b4010
Grdzln 2b4022Lamb 1b4000
YMlina c4020Gallo p0000
Luna 3b3000Wheelr p0000
Rdrgez ph1000Lidge p0000
Tguchi rf0000Lane rf3010
Crpnter p3000Asmus c4110
Mabry rf1000AEvrtt ss4010
Pettitte p1000
Qualls p0000
OPlmro ph1000
Tveras cf1000
Totals36595Totals34494
St. Louis002000003--5
Houston010000300--4
E--Luna (2), Lamb (1), AEverett (1). LOB--St. Louis 8, Houston 7. 2B--YMolina (3), Ausmus (2). HR--Pujols (2), Berkman (1). SB--Eckstein (1), RSanders (1). CS--Eckstein (1). S--Burke, Pettitte.
IPHRERBBSO
St. Louis
Carpenter794316
Isrnghs W,1-0200000
Houston
Pettitte6 1-372224
Qualls2-300000
Gallo1-300000
Wheeler2-300000
Lidge L,0-1123313
Pettitte pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. HBP--by Carpenter (Lane), by Pettitte (Eckstein). Umpires--Home, Larry Poncino; First, Gerry Davis; Second, Tim McClelland; Third, Greg Gibson; Left, Wally Bell; Right, Phil Cuzzi. T--3:19. A--43,470.
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