=== Houston Astros Team Report - May 27 ===

(My Sportsbook) - Falling off the pace in the National League Central, now 2 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the lead in the division, the Houston Astros try to avoid their third four-game losing skid of the season as they take the field at Busch Stadium tonight in the second of a four-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yesterday the Astros were dealt a 10-5 setback in the opener, the fifth time this season the team has given up double-digit runs to the competition.

Lance Berkman clubbed a three-run homer and Tripp Cromer had an RBI triple for Houston, which suffered its third straight defeat. Orlando Merced had two hits in the loss, the Astros' first in three tries at Busch Stadium this season.

Starter Peter Munro was tagged with the loss, giving up six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. Munro fanned a pair and walked two batters.

Taking the ball for Houston tonight will be 26-year-old Jeriome Robertson. The lefthander pitched very well against the Cardinals last week, giving up four hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings. The southpaw struck out four and didn't permit a walk in the win.

Robertson is 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA against St. Louis in his career. The lefty has surrendered just eight hits and five runs over 9 1/3 innings of action.

Jeff Bagwell, who finished hitless in three at-bats on Monday, is now mired in a 6-for 38 slump and has not tallied an RBI since May 8 versus Pittsburgh. The 13-year vet has seen his batting average plummet from .389 in mid April to just .276 currently. Bagwell's average for May has been a dismal .234, far below his career mark of .301.

Houston owns a 5-4 advantage in this series in 2003, including a 2-1 mark at Busch Stadium, although the Astros are just 4-8 in St. Louis in the last 12 games overall.

The Astros, a game over .500 even though they have a record of 10-13 on the road, are in third place in the NL Central entering Tuesday's action.