HOUSTON - Brad Lidge, Lance Berkman and all their teammates rushed toward second base, bouncing in unison to celebrate their great escape.

A nifty double play saved the Astros on Sunday - and one more win will leave the whole city of Houston jumping for joy.

Lidge pitched out of a major mess in the ninth inning, defensive replacement Eric Bruntlett started the game-ending gem and Houston held on for a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the NLCS to move within one win of its first World Series.

"It was probably one of the greatest double plays ever turned," shortstop Adam Everett said.

At least in the Lone Star State, it was.

Jason Lane homered, Willy Taveras made a saving catch on the center-field hill and Lidge stranded the potential tying run at third base to earn his third save of the series.

Houston took advantage of a critical error by pitcher Jason Marquis - plus the ejections of St. Louis manager Tony La Russa and star Jim Edmonds by plate umpire Phil Cuzzi - to build a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Astros can close it out at home tonight, with Andy Pettitte on the mound against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter. Houston has come this far before - the Astros were one victory from the Fall Classic in 1980 and 2004, but are 0-4 overall with a chance to win the NLCS.

"I'm starting to believe," said 39-year-old Craig Biggio, on the cusp of a lifelong dream.

Now it's the steaming-mad Cardinals who are in a serious jam.

"Guess what? If we're going to be a champion, we've got to come back," shortstop David Eckstein said.

Any postseason ejection is rare, and the last time a team lost two members came in 1998 when Cleveland pitcher Dwight Gooden and manager Mike Hargrove were tossed.

"This game, there's some real great things about it and there's some things that absolutely stink," La Russa said, declining to talk specifically about the umpires.

A security guard in front of the umpires' room at Minute Maid Park said they would not be available for comment.

"I'm not trying to get thrown out of a playoff game. I don't think I was adamant," Edmonds said. "I said, 'I'm just trying to ask you why that ball's a strike,' and asked him to do a better job and he threw me out."

St. Louis has quite a task if it wants to win its second consecutive pennant. The Cardinals must face Pettitte, Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens in the next three games - if they can push it that far.

There is some hope: St. Louis won three consecutive games started by Pettitte, Oswalt and Clemens from July 15-17 at Busch Stadium. And the Cardinals, who have lost three straight, didn't have a four-game skid all season.

"They've got their three guys and we've got to find a way," Eckstein said. "This club is very tough, very resilient, and we're going to be tested."