October 16 || @ Astros || 1–2 || Qualls || || Lidge || 43,010 || 1–3 |- bgcolor=#ccffcc | 5 || October 17 || @ Astros || 5–4 || Isringhausen || Lidge || || 43,470 || 2–3 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 6 || October 19 || Astros || 1–5 || Oswalt || Mulder || || 52,438 || 2–4 |- Season standings National League Central Record vs. opponents Transactions July 29, 2005: Alan Benes was signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals. September 6, 2005: Bill Pulsipher was released by the St. Louis Cardinals. Roster Player stats Batting Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pitching Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts NLDS St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Diego Padres St. Louis wins series, 3-0. NLCS Down to their last out and strike and facing elimination in game 5 of the 2005 National League Championship Series, David Eckstein hit a single in the hole on the left side off of the Astros' Brad Lidge to bring the tying run to the plate. The next batter, Jim Edmonds, worked a base on balls. Albert Pujols followed with a 412-foot home run onto the train tracks behind left field (had the game been played with the roof open, the drive would have exited Minute Maid Park, as it first hit off the glass wall which forms part of the roof), to put the Cardinals ahead 5–4. The roar of the crowd, anticipating the end of the game that would signal the Astros' entrance into the World Series, was hushed as they watched Pujols' home run (one of the announcers described it as a "vacuum" from the sudden intake of air by the