SAN DIEGO — Jeff Bagwell's RBI single snapped a scoreless tie in the 11th as Houston broke out with five runs in the inning for a 5-0 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

        Brian Hunter added a bases-loaded triple to cap the inning as the Astros pulled within 4 1/4 games of first-place St. Louis in the NL Central. The Cardinals were idle on Thursday.

        “We had to win today,” Bagwell said. “With so few games left, every game just gets that much more important.”

        Wade Miller kept the Astros in the game with seven shutout innings. But he was matched by Jake Peavy, who held Houston scoreless through seven innings.

        “That was a very intense game,” Hunter said. “Whenever you can win a game when runs are tough to come by, it's a big win. For us, it's even more important because we have still some work to do.”

        The Astros have 22 games remaining, while St. Louis has 23 games left.

        “Certainly when you're in the position we are in, you just need to win games,” Houston manager Jimy Williams said. “We got everything we needed today with a great pitched game and clutch hits.”

        Tom Gordon, Billy Wagner (4-2) and Octavio Dotel combined with Miller on a seven-hitter for the Astros' 10th shutout. The three relievers allowed just one hit over the final four innings as Wagner pitched 1 2-3 innings for the win.

        The Padres were shut out for the 14th time this season, tops in the NL.

        Jose Vizcaino led off the 11th with a single off Jonathan Johnson (1-1). Craig Biggio attempted a sacrifice bunt down the first-base line, but Johnson threw high to first base for an error.

        Mike Holtz then allowed a single to Lance Berkman to load the bases and was replaced by Doug Nickle.

        Bagwell grounded a single to left field to score Vizcaino and give Houston a 1-0 lead. Mark Loretta added a sacrifice fly and Hunter's triple put the game out of reach.

        “To shut them out for 11 innings and not come through with a win is tough,” Padres manager Bruce Bochy said.

        The Astros had the go-ahead run thrown out at home in the ninth inning when Biggio tried to score from second base on Bagwell's single.

        But Cesar Crespo's one-hop throw from left field caught Biggio, who was blocked at home by catcher Wiki Gonzalez.

        Miller constantly pitched out of trouble, stranding 10 runners. Miller, who has won a career-high nine straight decisions, allowed six hits. He struck out seven and walked five — two intentional.

        ”(Miller) threw well and used his defense,” San Diego's Phil Nevin said. “But any time you have that many guys on base and don't score any, it is going to be frustrating.”

        Peavy gave up four hits with a career-high nine strikeouts, including getting Berkman three times.

        Miller pitched out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the sixth when he retired Kory DeHaan on a forceout at home and Gonzalez on a groundout.

        The Padres threatened in the first after a leadoff single by Ramon Vazquez and a one-out walk to Ryan Klesko. But Miller escaped when he got Nevin to hit into an inning-ending double play.

        Notes: Miller's last loss was a 9-1 decision against Arizona on June 26. Miller is 12-1 in 19 starts since coming off the disabled list on May 29. ... Klesko went 0-for-3 with two walks as his 13-game hitting streak ended. ... Houston took the season series 4-2.

Rotation forecast cloudy as last year Reds-Brewers series preview Astros 5, Padres 0, 11 innings A-Rod hits two homers to reach 50 A's need to keep winning Every club not named 'Yankees' votes for labor deal Expos ponder fate

Frerotte-Westbrook connection
WR corps boasts 6-cylinder power
No TV for Bengals-Chargers
Chargers' Jammer ready to sit out season
Injuries piling up for Browns
NFL opens season with NYC concert
49ers 16, Giants 13
Golf veterans debate Augusta membership
Weather, course may mean low numbers at Kroger
Defending Kroger champ misses Grizzly
Waite leads Canadian
A match for the ages: Agassi vs. Hewitt
Davenport, Mauresmo stand in way of all-Williams final
Sampras has the look of a champ again
U.S. Open notebook
Beavers thump Owls
Buckeye AD says he's happy
Dismissed from Kentucky, Parker goes to South Carolina
Golden Flashes relish shot at Ohio State
Kentucky's world champions greet the president
Louisville guard undergoes surgery for injury
Miami bubbly over first Big Ten visit
Miami WR Larkin quick to impress friends, foes alike
No. 23 Irish wary of letdown
UK's Robertson plans to dominate opponents
Wildcats will not be overconfident against UTEP
Earnhardt Jr. wins pole for Busch race
Stewart wins truck race at Richmond
Too bad nobody thought of it sooner
U.S. loses second straight
NHL MVP Theodore signs three-year contract with Canadiens
Woodward Stakes top attraction as Belmont opens fall season
Coming up this week
Bibb helps turn around Norwood
Experience paying off for unbeaten Cougars
Lakota East enjoying early success
No. 4 Wyoming cruises
Rare match tonight between Badin and Lebanon
Roger Bacon 41, Holy Cross 0
CCD's two-back attack pops North College Hill
Football polls
Ohio prep football preview
Kentucky prep football preview
Lakota West subdues rival East
Boys golf results
Boys soccer results
Field hockey results
Girls golf results
Girls soccer results
Girls tennis results
Girls volleyball results
Player of the Year watch list

• Return to Reds front page...