Blake Hawksworth's 5 1/3 innings meshed neatly with the work of his former bullpen mates as the Cardinals concluded the first half with a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros.

Matt Holliday's three-run home run that turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 held up as the game-changer.

Ryan Franklin closed for his 16th save in 17 opportunities.

Kyle McClellan, Jason Motte and Franklin secured the final 11 outs. The bullpen concluded the series with seven shutout innings.

The Cardinals enter the All-Star break 47-41 and one game off the Cincinnati Reds' lead in the National League Central.

Cardinals Pad Lead with Broken Bats

The Cardinals lost four bats during the eighth inning but put the kindling to good use.

Felipe Lopez' leadoff flare over second base, Jon Jay's ground ball, an 0-2 wild pitch and Colby Rasmus' two-out pinch single accounted for an important insurance run as the Cardinals took a 4-2 lead over the Astros.

Lopez, Jon Jay, Rasmus and Yadier Molina all sacrificed bats during the rally, which also included an intentional walk of Albert Pujols and a strikeout of Matt Holliday. Anybody who made contact during the inning against Astros reliever Brandon Lyon had his bat shattered.

Rasmus, out of the lineup with a slight hamstring strain, was immediately replaced by pinch runner Jaime Garcia after driving in Lopez with a first-pitch single.

Jason Motte is on to replace Kyle McClellan after McClellan worked 1 2/3 shutout innings behind Blake Hawksworth.

Jon Jay's Magical Ride Continues

Playing today in place of sore-legged center fielder Colby Rasmus, rookie Jon Jay has hit safely in all 11 starts with the Cardinals this season. The drag bunt that began the Cardinals' three-run fourth-inning rally today was Jay's infield this year and his first bunt hit.

How many bunt hits do the Cardinals have as a team this season? One.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was extremely complimentary of Jay's understanding of the game this morning. Jay's performance today has done nothing to change that take. He appears to have strengthened his hold on a roster spot, possibly at the expense of veteran Randy Winn when Ryan Ludwick exits the disabled list.

Winn has made one start since June 29 and is in a 2-for-27 skid since June 24. Winn was 11-for-28 in his first 12 games with the Cardinals.

Holliday's Quiet Riot

Today's home run leaves Matt Holliday with 16 home runs, tying the most in his career prior to the All-Star break.

A Bunt and a Blast Change Game

The Cardinals overcame a 2-0 deficit with a lightning strike against Astros lefthander Wandy Rodriguez. A three-run, fourth-inning rally began with center fielder Jon Jay reaching on a one-out drag bunt then taking third base on first baseman Albert Pujols' one-hop single off the left field scoreboard.

Left fielder Matt Holliday followed with his fifth home run of a 6-game road trip, dropping his threejack into the Crawford Boxes for a 3-2 lead.

Jay's hit extended the National League's longest active hitting streak to 11 games.

Pujols' has hit for the cycle in the series with a home run, triple, a double and two singles.

Holliday's blast was his 16th of the season and brought him to 51 RBI before the All-Star break. Holliday has 26 RBI in his last 22 games after laboring for 25 RBI n his first 64 games.

Through 3 1/2 innings today Holliday has 12 RBI in 23 at-bats on the current road trip.

Rodriguez Dealing Early

The Cardinals have beaten Astros starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez 10 times, more than any other opponent. However, Rodriguez appears to have brought his 'A' game -- or rather, his 'K' game -- into today's start.

Rodriguez takes the mound in the fourth inning with five strikeouts and has yet to allow a baserunner. After striking out Felipe Lopez and Jon Jay to open the game, Rodriguez struck out Tyler Greene, Blake Hawksworth and Skip Schumaker in the third. Rodriguez entered today's game on a strikeout rush: He struck out 10 in his previous start July 6 against Pittsburgh and six on June 30 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Previously, Rodriguez had struck out as many as six in only two of 15 starts.

First Inning Blues Return

For a second straight game the first inning has proven a riddle to the Cardinals. A walk, a chopped single over first baseman Albert Pujols and a one-hop smash that beat shortstop Tyler Greene gave the Astros a quick lead against Blake Hawksworth. Hunter Pence's flare to right field scored a second run before Hawksworth could manage a second out. The Astros lead 2-0.

The breakout bore eery similarities to Saturday night, when an unmade double play against Carlos Lee led to the Astros scoring three runs with two outs.

Today Lee smashed a one-hopper to Greene's backhand with runners at first and third. Had he fielded it cleanly, Greene might have begun a double play. Because he could only knock it down, Michael Bourn scored the game's first run and Lee was credited with an RBI single.

Pence drove in the second run with a defensive swing. Right fielder Nick Stavinoha made a diving attempt but couldn't secure the ball as Jeff Keppinger scored.

Hawksworth needed 35 pitches to escape the inning, hinting at an all-hands-on-deck afternoon in the bullpen.

Pujols as Travel Agent

The Cardinals' All-Star contingent will leave for Anaheim, Cal., immediately after the game on a private charter arranged by first baseman Albert Pujols. The three-time NL MVP's connections serve him well at a time when players annually encounter travel challenges,

Pitchers Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, catcher Yadier Molina and left fielder Matt Holliday will travel with Pujols.

"Very nice," Wainwright gushed before today's game. "I mean... very nice." 

Astros Intall Bagwell as Hitting Coach

Saturday night Jeff Bagwell was at Minute Maid Park as part of the Astros' broadcast team. Sunday morning the former All-Star first baseman and local icon was back in uniform as Astros hitting coach, replacing Sean Berry.

Manager Brad Mills made the move as the Astros approach the All-Star break ahead of only the Pittsburgh Pirates in team average and runs scored and tied for last in home runs despite the presence of first baseman Lance Berkman and left fielder Carlos Lee. The Astros rank last in the NL in slugging and on-base percentage.

Mills called the decision "a tough, tough thing."

Bagwell, 42, retired in 2005 with 449 home runs and 1,529 RBI, including eight 100 RBI seasons.

Like Cardinals hitting coach Mark McGwire, Bagwell becomes a major-league coach without a minor-league apprenticeship.

"We can get better, but we also know there are players here that should be better," Astros general manager Ed Wade said. "And hopefully with a different voice in Jeff Bagwell they'll recognize the measure of accountability they have in this whole process so we will get better."

Bagwell declined comment until after today's game.

"I don't like having to root against Jeff Bagwell," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

Game Preview

The Cardinals return catcher Yadier Molina to the lineup but will go a second game without Colby Rasmus in center field as they try to take the series from the Houston Astros. Jon Jay brings his 10-game hitting streak to the No. 2 spot in the order as right fielder Nick Stavinoha moves into the No. 5 slot. Blake Hawksworth makes his fifth start of the season. The Astros have yet to reach Hawksworth for a run in four relief appearances.

Cardinals

3B Felipe Lopez

CF Jon Jay

1B Albert Pujols

LF Matt Holliday

RF Nick Stavinoha

C Yadier Molina

P Blake Hawksworth

2B Skip Schumaker

Astros

CF Michael Bourn

2B Jeff Keppinger

1B Lance Berkman

LF Carlos Lee

RF Hunter Pence

3B Pedro Feliz

C Jason Castro

SS Angel Sanchez

P Wandy Rodriguez