Morgan Ensberg’s RBI double in the top of the ninth broke a 6-6 tie and gave the Astros a 7-6 win over the Cardinals at Busch. Chris Carpenter finished his regular season work with 21 wins, despite four attempts to get number 22.

Carpenter (21-5) allowed six runs—five earned—off nine hits and a walk. Carpenter had a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, when he served up back-to-back home runs to Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb. Berkman’s homer was a two-run shot and the Astros led 4-2.

St. Louis rallied in the bottom of the fifth with four runs to take the lead back 6-4. Jim Edmonds singled in Carpenter, who doubled twice and scored twice, to start the rally. Larry Walker drove in David Eckstein with a sacrifice fly and Reggie Sanders hit a two run homer to cap the rally. It was his second home run o the game.

Carpenter’s shaky evening continued in the top of the sixth when Houston battled him for two more runs to tie the game at 6-6.

At this point the Royals are hoping history does, indeed, repeat itself. After last night’s 6-3 loss to the Twins, the best the Royals can hope for is to finish the season with 104 losses, which matches the total they suffered through last year. In 2004 they set the team record for losses by losing 104 and another loss will re-set the record for the second straight season.