Chris Carpenter pitched well in his second start, allowing just four hits and two runs in six innings, but “Cardinals Killer,” Bud Norris outpitched Carp in a 2-0 St. Louis loss, ending their 10 game win streak over the Astros. Milwaukee and Los Angeles won, knocking down the Cardinals wild card lead to 3.5 games.
Jose Altuve put Houston on top, 1-0, when he connected on Carpenter’s first pitch of the fourth inning for a homer into the Crawford Boxes in left field. It was Houston’s first hit of the night. After one time through the order, Houston adjusted. Scott Moore followed with a double to center field and advanced to third on a flyout by Jed Lowrie. Justin Maxwell reached on a fielder’s choice when Moore was thrown out at home. Maxwell stole second base and scored on Brett Wallace’s double to right field.
Those two runs were enough for Norris who retired 12 of 13 before he hit Adron Chambers to start the eighth inning. Daniel Descalso reached on an error and Norris struck out Pete Kozma before he was lifted for Wilton Lopez, who got Jon Jay to ground out with runners on second and third. Lopez pitched the ninth to save the win for Houston.
