HOUSTON — Roy Oswalt pitched three-hit ball for eight innings to lead the Houston Astros past the Florida Marlins 7-2 Wednesday night and within one game of first place in the NL Central.

        The Astros, 10 1/2 games out on June 19, have won 12 of their last 15 and 26 of their last 36 to get back into the Central race.

        “The only reason we're where we're at is because of the pitching,” said Jeff Bagwell, who had a home run and a double and scored three runs. “The young guys have stepped up and guys like Oswalt and (Wade) Miller have been tough. It's holding us all together.”

        Oswalt (13-6), who is 6-1 in his last seven decisions, allowed two unearned runs, struck out four and walked three.

        Oswalt doesn't have a complete game this season. But he has gone seven or more innings in 17 of his 24 starts.

        “The biggest thing to me is just eating up innings,” Oswalt said. “I just try to get late in the game. Complete games are good. But there's no sense throwing 170 or 180 pitches just so you can say you got one.”

        Oswalt threw 118 pitches against the Marlins, one short of his season high. He already has pitched 165 1-3 innings this year, 24 more than he had all last season.

        “I think to get in the playoffs and still be strong is the important thing,” Oswalt said. “I felt strong in the eighth inning, but I didn't mind coming out after that.”

        Manager Jimy Williams also isn't concerned about complete games since his staff has only one this season, that by rookie Kirk Saarloos.

        “Oswalt pitched a strong game,” Williams said. “This was a good matchup against a good pitcher and Oswalt threw real well. We made some plays behind him, too.”

        Florida manager Jeff Torborg was impressed by Oswalt.

        “This kid is the real deal,” Torborg said. “We only got three hits off him. You are not going to win many games like that. The first four innings, it had the look of a no-hitter.”

        Oswalt reminds Kevin Millar of a Cy Young Award winner in the American League.

        “This guy can pitch,” Millar said of Oswalt. “He spots his fastball at 95 and then comes back with a breaking ball that is 22-25 mph slower.

        “He reminds me of Pedro (Martinez). His stuff is explosive. He has the same arm action on all of his pitches.”

        Daryle Ward and Geoff Blum each drove in two runs as Houston won its fourth straight.

        A.J. Burnett (11-8), who leads the National League with five complete games and the majors with four shutouts, gave up five earned runs in six innings.

        Bagwell hit his 20th home run to lead off the second inning and give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

        In the fourth, Bagwell doubled to drive in Lance Berkman, then scored on Ward's single to make it 3-0.

        Oswalt didn't allow a hit the first four innings. In the fifth, Preston Wilson reached on a throwing error by shortstop Julio Lugo that allowed Wilson to go to second. Juan Encarnacion followed with an RBI double and scored on Luis Castillo's infield grounder, making it 3-2.

        The Astros scored four times in the sixth. Ward had another RBI single and Orlando Merced reached on a throwing error by Burnett that let Bagwell score. Blum drove in two more with a triple.

        Notes: Florida's runs in the fifth inning were the first allowed by Houston at home in 31 consecutive innings. That's the team's longest home scoreless string since it went 32 straight from Sept. 22-Oct. 4, 1986. The club record is 33 from Aug. 21-Sept. 2, 1977. ... Jimy Williams managed his 1,400th major league game Wednesday. ... Bagwell's homer tied him with Ralph Kiner for 52nd place on the all-time home run list with 369. ... Houston's Jason Lane had his first major league hit in the eighth.

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