CHICAGO — The Houston Astros aren't in panic mode just yet, but thanks to the Chicago Cubs their lead in the NL Central has been sliced to one game with six to play.

        Ricky Gutierrez hit an eight-inning sacrifice fly against his former team as the Cubs rallied and beat the Astros 7-6 Sunday, sending Houston to its third straight loss and fifth in six games.

        St. Louis moved within a game of the lead after beating Pittsburgh 7-3 Sunday.

        “We've played too well for too long to start panicking,” Houston's Jeff Bagwell said. “We knew we were going to play some close games and we're going to have to find a way to come out on top. Usually, we get a three-run lead and it's enough.”

        The Astros took a 6-3 lead into the seventh Sunday but the bullpen let it get away. Their pitching staff tied a season high by allowing nine walks.

        “I think they're starting to scoreboard watch and pressing a little,” Gutierrez said of the Astros.

        “They see the Cardinals winning games. I see them tensing up a little.”

        The Cubs, already eliminated from the division race, are five games behind the Cardinals for the wild card with six games left.

        “We've got nothing to lose. We'll try to run the table. We're not worried about how many games left until we're eliminated,” Gutierrez said.

        “The way the Cardinals are playing all we can do is win our games.”

        Ron Villone (6-9) walked Delino DeShields with one out in the eighth and was replaced by Mike Williams, who walked pinch-hitter Bill Mueller and Eric Young to load the bases before Gutierrez lifted his fly ball to the wall in left.

        “We're still a game up and still in good shape,” Houston manager Larry Dierker said. “If we don't make it (the division), we'll try to get the wild card. The bullpen wasn't too good today. We beat ourselves.”

        Scott Chiasson (1-1) got his first major league win with one-third of an inning. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his first save.

        Bagwell hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth and pinch-hitter Moises Alou, who had missed the previous five games with a calf injury, delivered a two-run single in the seventh as the Astros took a 6-3 lead.

        But the Cubs got three in the seventh. Reliever Octavio Dotel walked pinch-hitter DeShields and gave up an RBI double to pinch-hitter Matt Stairs.

        After Gutierrez walked, Mike Jackson relieved and threw a wild pitch before giving up a sacrifice fly to Sammy Sosa. Fred McGriff was walked intentionally before Rondell White hit a game-tying RBI single to left.

        “Every game for us counts. It would take a miracle, but it's not over,” White said of the Cubs' remote chances.

        Eric Young's leadoff liner struck the glove of Houston starter Wade Miller, who bruised his little finger on the play. After a delay of about five minutes, Miller struck out Gutierrez and got Sosa to hit a perfect double play grounder to short that Jose Vizcaino booted as Young raced to third.

        McGriff hit a sacrifice fly and White followed with his second homer in as many games to make it 3-0.

        Miller allowed just four hits in six innings with eight strikeouts.

        McGriff bobbled two throws — one for an error — as the Astros made it 3-1 in the third on Lance Berkman's RBI grounder.

        The Astros tied it in the fourth as Vinny Castilla doubled, Daryle Ward hit an RBI single, Craig Biggio singled and Vizcaino delivered a run-scoring single.

        Chicago starter Jason Bere went 5 1-3 innings, allowing six hits and four runs while walking a season-high six.

        Notes: Bagwell's first-inning walk was his 100th, making him the first player in major league history to have at least 30 homers, 100 RBIs, 100 runs scored and 100 walks in six straight seasons. ... Cubs 3B Bill Mueller was a late scratch with a sore knee. He was replaced by Augie Ojeda. Mueller did pinch-hit later in the game. ... The Astros have dropped back-to-back series for the first time since June.

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