St. Louis ? Coming from behind is becoming a habit for the St. Louis Cardinals.

J.D. Drew broke an eighth-inning tie with an RBI single his second straight go-ahead hit as the Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of Houston with a 5-4 victory Thursday.

St. Louis outfielder J.D. Drew (7) celebrates with his teammates after the Cardinals defeated Houston, 5-4, Thursday at St. Louis. Drew had the winning hit for the second day in a row, helping St. Louis complete a three-game sweep.

St. Louis, which trailed 4-2 in the seventh inning in the finale and 2-1 after four innings on Wednesday, has 26 victories 18 after trailing in a game.

“Once you do it once or twice, you know you have it in you,” said Jim Edmonds, who was 3-for-4 with his 11th home run and two RBIs. “That’s a big key to have on a ballclub, the ability to have a comeback.”

The Cardinals have won five in a row for the third time this season and are two games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central.

They swept the Astros for the first time since 1996 and completed a 9-1 homestand. They came from behind in five of the victories.

Houston has lost four in a row after winning seven straight.

Drew, who didn’t start the previous two games because he was in a 1-for-17 slump, hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth on Wednesday for a 3-2 victory.

Miguel Cairo singled with one out in the ninth off Octavio Dotel (2-2). Fernando Vina greeted Billy Wagner, pitching for the first time in four days, with a double and Drew followed by lining a first-pitch fastball to right.

“I just tried to put it in play,” Drew said. “He’s usually around the strike zone, and I got a pretty good pitch to handle.”

Luther Hackman (1-2) allowed a hit in the eighth innings, and Jason Isringhausen finished for his 12th save in 13 chances.

Tino Martinez added an RBI single for St. Louis in the third. He’s 10-for-23 during a seven-game hitting streak.

Marlins 8, Reds 4

Cincinnati Luis Castillo hit his first career homer from the left side, a three-run shot off Jose Rijo (4-2) that sent Florida past Cincinnati.

Castillo had three hits for the second consecutive game, jump-starting an offense that has languished during the longest trip in Marlins history. Castillo has an 11-game hitting streak, going 23-for-49.

The Reds hit a grand slam in each of the first two games of their series, but Julian Tavarez (2-3) and the bullpen kept them in the park. Vladimir Nunez pitched the last two innings for his 10th save.

Castillo’s homer was his first in 76 games and in 1,772 career at-bats swinging left-handed.

Cubs 11, Pirates 6

Chicago Fred McGriff homered, and rookie Bobby Hill hit his first major league home run as Chicago beat Pittsburgh.

Hill snapped an 0-for-9 slump as he went 3-for-5 with four RBIs. McGriff drove in three runs for the Cubs, who won their third straight.

Matt Clement (2-3) held the Pirates scoreless for five innings before giving up Jason Kendall’s two-run double in the sixth inning.

Rockies 16, Padres 3

Denver Todd Zeile drove in five runs, and Larry Walker and Todd Helton homered on consecutive pitches as Colorado beat San Diego.

John Thomson (6-3) pitched seven strong innings, Todd Hollandsworth hit a three-run homer and Bobby Estalella had three straight doubles for the Rockies, who posted their first three-game series sweep of San Diego in Denver since 1995.

Padres starter Brett Tomko (3-4) departed in the fifth with a bruised left calf after being struck by Zeile’s liner.

Mets 1, Phillies 0

Philadelphia Pinch-hitter Mark Johnson’s RBI double in the ninth inning broke a scoreless tie, lifting New York over Philadelphia.

The Mets had lost three straight and the Phillies had won three in a row.

Joe McEwing hit a one-out single off Jose Mesa (1-4), moved to second when Jeromy Burnitz was hit by a pitch and scored on Johnson’s double to right.

Scott Strickland (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the victory and Armando Benitez earned his ninth save.