NL NOTEBOOK: MONUMENTAL COLLAPSE IN THE CARDS?

Byline: TONY JACKSON Staff Writer

While the Houston Astros have become synonymous in recent years with the second-half comeback, this is a bit ridiculous. They entered Friday having won nine consecutive games and had made up eightgames in the standings in the process.

The Astros entered Friday trailing slumping St. Louis -- which was in danger of suffering one of the epic, late-season collapses of all time -- by a half-game in the National League Central.

``We know we just have to plan to win them all, and then still, it may not be enough,'' Astros manager Phil Garner said after Wednesday's win at Pittsburgh, which was followed by another victory over the Pirates on Thursday.

The Astros have the second-best team ERA in the NL behind San Diego, but spent most of the season struggling to score runs. They averaged 4.48 runs a game during their first 150. During the first eight games of the streak, which began with Game No. 151, they scored 52 runs, an average of 6.5. And during last week's four-game sweep of the Cardinals in Houston -- a series the Cardinals will remember for a long time if the Astros overtake them -- the Astros won twogames in walk-off style, something they previously hadn't done all season.

``We know the odds aren't in our favor,'' Astros second baseman Craig Biggio said. ``But until you're mathematically out of it, you keep playing as hard as you can and see what happens. The bottom line is we've got to win. We couldn't care less about anything else other than getting wins right now.''

Flip side: After his three-run homer ended the Cardinals' losing streak at seven Wednesday against SanDiego, momentarily keeping the Astros at arm's length, Albert Pujols whistled past the graveyard a little.

``We don't need to play the catch-up game here,'' he said, trying as hard to convince himself as others. ``Somebody needs to catch us. It's tough with a seven-game losing streak. But it's stops here.''

Well, only temporarily. The Cardinals got spanked by Milwaukee the following night, allowing the Astros to pull close enough to cause claustrophobia, and perhaps a little paranoia, in the Gateway City.

Making matters even worse for the Cardinals is that closer Jason Isringhausen is injured, leaving the job to untested Adam Wainwright.

No mas: As they hosted the Dodgers in a season-ending series that meant much more to Los Angeles than it did to them, the San Francisco Giants were hoping to disperse to their respective homes after today's game.

But there was a chance they might have to travel to St. Louis for a makeup game on Monday if the Cardinals and Astros wind up separated by only a half-game, a possibility the Giants weren't relishing.

``(That would be) an important game to play for the National League and the integrity of the game,'' Giants manager Felipe Alou said. ``Ideally, we won't have to go. I know there are a lot of candles being lighted for the Cardinals to win.''

The Giants and Cardinals were rained out Sept. 17.

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