Chron: Packing a 3-2 series lead, Astros seek their destiny in St. Louis

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/2854605

They're close now. So close they can feel it. So close they can sense it. So close they finally may believe it's possible.

Maybe they're believing it for the first time. Maybe you're believing it for the first time.

The Astros are one victory away from the World Series.

Yes, your Astros.

They won the latest biggest game in their 43-season history Monday night when pitchers Brandon Backe and Brad Lidge combined on a one-hitter and second baseman Jeff Kent hit a city-rattling, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.

They can wrap up their first pennant and punch a ticket to the World Series when the NLCS resumes with Game 6 in St. Louis on Wednesday. If necessary, Game 7 will be played Thursday.

The 2004 World Series is scheduled to begin Saturday in either Boston or New York.

"There's something going on here," Lidge said. "We're drawing from each other. I don't exactly know what it is, but it's a great feeling."

Kent's homer ended a night of superb tension, a night when two good teams went toe-to-toe, each testing the other's resolve, refusing to buckle.

"That's baseball in its purest form," Astros manager Phil Garner said.

The Astros won because Backe pitched the best eight innings of his young career. They won because incomparable Carlos Beltran made two spectacular plays in center. They won because Kent delivered in the bottom of the ninth.

Once it ended, fans did what they've almost never done in Houston — refused to leave.

They stayed to cheer and celebrate. They screamed at replays of Kent's homer as if they were living it over again. They savored the moment, the finest this franchise has had.

After losing the first two games of the best-of-seven NLCS in St. Louis last week, the Astros swept three from the Cardinals at Minute Maid Park, where they're 22-1 since Aug. 23.

Now they're in a place they've surely dreamed about. Over the years, as they suffered one disappointment after another, they may have wondered if they'd ever have one like this.

They'd watched the Marlins and Angels have moments like this. They'd watch the Yankees have plenty of them.

No more.

From the moment this team began what is now a 42-14 sprint, it was different.

It didn't care about history. It refused to be burdened by it.

The Astros couldn't begin to count all their heroes Monday night.

First, there was Backe. He's 26 years old and was making the 12th start of his young major league career.

Three of those starts have come in the playoffs. Another was on the final day of the regular season when the Astros need a win to clinch a playoff berth.

Fans tuning in around the country must have wondered who this kid was, this kid that Tampa Bay gave up on.

They discovered he has absolutely no fear, that he has four quality pitches. He threw all of them for strikes as he began the game by retiring the first 13 Cardinals in a row and in allowing just one runner to reach scoring position.

He'd never gone longer than seven innings in his career. He'd thrown this many pitches (101) one other time.

He was pressed only a couple of times. Once was when he faced Cardinals superstar first baseman Albert Pujols with two runners on and two outs in the sixth. He got him to pop up a fastball.

He was also helped by two huge plays by Beltran.

Beltran may have saved an inside-the-park home run with a diving catch of an Edgar Renteria liner to end the seventh. He made another spectacular play by climbing Tal's Hill to bring in a Reggie Sanders drive to open the eighth.

That was about it.

Garner, who has orchestrated one of the great stretches any team has ever had, handed the ball to closer Brad Lidge for a third straight day. Lidge retired the Cardinals in order in the ninth, overpowering as usual.

Moments later, the Astros won it.

Beltran led off the inning with a single. Jeff Bagwell flied out to center. Lance Berkman was intentionally walked after Beltran stole second.

St. Louis reliever Jason Isringhausen then left a fastball in Kent's wheelhouse.

Kent sent it soaring to left, igniting a celebration that will be remembered for as long as this franchise exists.

Now what?

The Astros leave for St. Louis today. They've been told to pack for six nights. They've been told to bring something for a special occasion. Like a World Series.