HOUSTON – Poised as can be no matter how tough the task, Astros closer Brad Lidge pulled off another great escape against St. Louis. Now it’s the steaming-mad Cardinals who are in a serious jam in the NLCS.

Defensive replacement Eric Bruntlett started a game-ending double play, Lidge wriggled out of a major mess in the ninth inning, and Houston scratched out a 2-1 victory yesterday in Game 4 to move within one win of its first trip to the World Series.

Lidge earned his third save of the series, Jason Lane homered, and Willy Taveras made a saving catch on the center-field hill. Houston took advantage of a critical error by pitcher Jason Marquis – plus the ejections of St. Louis manager Tony La Russa and star Jim Edmonds – to build a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Astros can close it out at home tonight, with Andy Pettitte on the mound against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter. Houston has come this far before – the Astros were one win from the Fall Classic in 1980 and 2004, but are 0-4 overall with a chance to win the NLCS.

St. Louis has quite an uphill climb if it wants to win its second consecutive pennant. The Cardinals must face Pettitte, Roy Oswalt, and Roger Clemens in the next three games – if they can push it that far.

Once again in this postseason, the umpires were in the middle of all the action. The Cardinals were angry about Phil Cuzzi’s liberal strike zone all afternoon, and La Russa and Edmonds were ejected in the late innings for arguing balls and strikes.

The Astros are 2-for-31 with runners in scoring position during the series, so it figures that they scored the go-ahead run without a hit.

In the seventh, With the score tied at 1, pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro drew a leadoff walk from Marquis, who then bobbled Craig Biggio’s bunt for an error. One out later, Berkman walked and Ensberg hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly for a 2-1 Houston lead.

After Morgan Ensberg’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh, Lidge entered with a 2-1 lead in the ninth. Albert Pujols hit a leadoff single and went to third on a single to right by ailing Larry Walker. Reggie Sanders hit a bouncer to third, and Ensberg made a nice play to cut down Pujols at the plate. But with nobody covering, Walker alertly dashed to third, putting runners at the corners again, this time with one out.

No matter to Lidge. He got John Mabry to hit a slow grounder to Bruntlett at second base, and shortstop Adam Everett turned a difficult double play that ended the game.