Houston ? Woody Williams pitched one of the games of his life Monday night, exactly what the St. Louis Cardinals needed to regain the edge in the NL championship series.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Houston starter Brandon Backe was even better.

Williams threw a one-hit shutout for seven innings, but all that did was keep St. Louis close and prevent the Cardinals from having to use their beleaguered middle relievers. Closer Jason Isringhausen took over in the eighth and gave up a three-run homer to Jeff Kent with one out in the ninth, giving Houston a 3-0 victory in Game 5 and a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“I knew I was going to throw a good game because I like having pressure on me,” Williams said. “It wasn’t as good as the other guy threw, though, but I left it all out there.”

As amazing as Williams’ performance was to those who saw it, it was even more impressive to everyone in the dugout. Only they knew that Williams strained a calf muscle running to first base while batting in the top of the third inning.

Williams said it was no big deal, but manager Tony La Russa said there were questions each inning about whether he could return to the mound.

“You’re not supposed to use the word ‘hero’ in sports, but that was a heroic performance with his calf bothering him the way it was,” La Russa said.

Game 6 is Wednesday in St. Louis, and the Cardinals can only hope Matt Morris is anywhere close to as good as Williams was if they’re to salvage a series they were leading 2-0.

Williams won Game 1 of this series, just like he’d won Game 1 of the previous round. Yet nothing was as spectacular as this night, when the Houston native did everything you could ask from a starter facing the Astros.

He kept Carlos Beltran in the ballpark — and off the bases.

St. Louis third baseman Scott Rolen throws to first base from his knees for an out.

He kept Lance Berkman hitless for the first time this postseason.

He allowed baserunners in just three innings. None got past second.

His seven innings were the most by a St. Louis starter this series, giving much-needed rest to the bullpen.

Perhaps most importantly on this night, he matched Backe pitch-for-pitch through seven innings, providing hope that if hitters could scratch out just one run it might be enough to get within a victory of the World Series.

They couldn’t and the Cardinals lost for just the fourth time in his last 22 starts.

“This is tough to swallow,” Williams said.

Williams walked two and struck out four. He threw 94 pitches, 53 for strikes. The secret to his success?

“I was able to locate the ball on both sides of the plate and make my pitches,” Williams said. “In the past, I haven’t had that kind of location.”