Houston -- It has been a post-season environment at Minute Maid Park this week between the Astros and Cardinals. Wednesday night provided more of the same as the Astros rallied to sweep the Cardinals 4-3.

Roy Oswalt against Chris Carpenter was as advertised. Two heavyweight going toe to toe but at the end it was Miguel Tejada providing the drama.

Oswalt went 7 innings, gave up 3 runs and struck out 4 while Carpenter lasted 8 innings, allowed 2 runs and struck out 5.

Tejada, who had two hits, had the game winner in the bottom of the 9th inning on a sharp liner to left field that scored Jeff Keppinger from second base. New addition Chris Coste, filling in for Lance Berkman at 1st base, tied the game in the 9th on a double that score Ivan Rodriguez.

" I don't know how to explain it,"said Cooper. " These guys keep coming up with big hits and big plays. what a win."

"It's a good win, a good team win," said Manager Cecil Cooper.

"He's come through all year," Cooper spoke of Tejada's big hit. "

"Two great pitchers going at it tonight," Cooper said of the pitching duel between Oswalt and Carpenter.

"We should be playing tomorrow, keep it going but we'll come back Friday. We're playing good baseball, good hitting , good pitching," Cooper said.

With the win, the Astros improve to 49-46 and now are tied for 2nd in the NL Central with the Cubs just 1 game back of the first place Cardinals.

The Astros host the Mets for three games this weekend.