St. Louis ? Now the Cardinals’ NL Central lead is down to a half-game.

Jason Marquis recorded just six outs, and St. Louis fell behind by eight runs in the third inning, losing to the Milwaukee Brewers, 9-4, Thursday night.

In a swoon that could become one of baseball’s historic collapses, St. Louis (81-77) has lost eight of nine and wasted nearly all of what was a seven-game lead with 13 to play.

Houston (81-77), which beat Pittsburgh, 3-0, for its ninth straight win, closes with a three-game series at Atlanta while the Cardinals play the Brewers three more times. If it’s needed to decide the division, the Cardinals will play host to San Francisco on Monday in the makeup of a Sept. 17 rainout.

Astros 3, Pirates 0

Pittsburgh – Roy Oswalt picked up a weary Astros bullpen with seven shutout innings, and Houston ran its improbable late-September winning streak to nine games.

Padres 12, Diamondbacks 4

Phoenix – Jake Peavy won his third straight decision, and San Diego maintained a one-game NL West lead.

Reds 5, Marlins 1

Miami – Kyle Lohse doubled in two runs and gave up three hits over six innings

Dodgers 19, Rockies 11

Denver – Rookie James Loney tied the Dodgers’ franchise record with nine RBIs.

Mets 7, Braves 4

Atlanta – Orlando Hernandez matched his season high with nine strikeouts.

American League

Blue Jays 8, Tigers 6

Detroit – Kenny Rogers was roughed up by Toronto, which built a seven-run leadt.

Angels 2, Athletics 0

Anaheim, Calif. – John Lackey allowed four hits over eight innings.

Orioles 7, Yankees 1

New York – Daniel Cabrera came within two outs of a no-hitter before Robinson Cano slapped a clean opposite-field single in the ninth inning.

Indians 5, Devil Rays 4

Cleveland – Ryan Garko doubled home the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh inning.