Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Brendan Ryan's two-run single highlighted a five-run seventh inning, as the St. Louis Cardinals downed the Houston Astros, 5-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse (7-2) gave up three runs on five hits in six innings of work to collect the win.

Brian Barton, Troy Glaus and Yadier Molina each had a hit for the Cardinals, who were held to four in the game. St. Louis has won two straight and four of its last six overall.

Wandy Rodriguez (2-2) allowed five unearned runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings to absorb the loss for Houston.

Lance Berkman clubbed a three-run homer for the struggling Astros, who have dropped 10 of their last 13 contests. Carlos Lee finished 2-for-3 with a walk, while Brad Ausmus doubled in the other Houston run.

Rodriguez was cruising along on the mound, retiring 14 straight since Barton's one-out single in the second, and the Astros led 3-0, but everything unraveled for the lefty in the seventh. He nipped the left arm of Ryan Ludwick to begin the inning, then Glaus reached on third baseman Ty Wigginton's fielding error. A single by Molina loaded the bases and Barton's sacrifice fly put the visitors on the board.

After Rodriguez clipped pinch-hitter Cesar Izturis to reload the bags, all the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Ryan then delivered with a single up the middle that cleared the bases and gave St. Louis the lead.

Doug Brocail was called on from the bullpen and Michael Bourn's two-base fielding error on a pop fly hit by Joe Mather made it a 5-3 game.

"Yeah, that was crazy," Ryan said of the seventh. "His wild pitch was close to my foot, but fortunately it kicked the backstop and the run came in. We were very fortunate. Wandy was pitching a great game."

The Astros got a run back in the home seventh. Ron Villone relieved Lohse and gave up a bunt single to Bourn. Russ Springer then entered the game and Ausmus stroked an RBI double to right.

In the eighth, Lee sliced a long, two-out single off the top of the wall in left field. Reggie Abercrombie came on as a pinch-runner and moved to third when pinch-hitter Darin Erstad doubled to right, but Chris Perez got Bourn to fly out to thwart the rally.

Ryan Franklin struck out the side in the ninth to notch his eighth save of the season.

"We handed it to them, it's that simple," Houston manager Cecil Cooper said. "What else can I say. We've got to get better than that."

The Astros jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third on Berkman's 18th home run of the season. Hunter Pence had a leadoff double and Kazuo Matsui bunted him over to third. After Miguel Tejada worked a walk, Berkman hit a bomb to the seats in right-center field.