Oh, Astros. How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways.

1. Eric Bruntlett. Game 4. Ninth inning. For being in the right place at the right time. Sure, normally what happened in the last two outs of yesterday's ball game should have been a routine double play, nothing fancy, but against the Cardinals, it was just the miracle play we needed to seal the deal and shut down the Cards for a 3-1 lead in the series.

2. Adam Everett. Game 4. Ninth inning. Again, instrumental in the double play to end the game. It was begining to look like things could get really ugly in the top of the ninth. We barely got Puljols out at home. Walker stole third right under our noses. He was now in scoring position with a man also on first. This inning could have easily lead to a tie in the series. But low and behold, Everett makes a grab from Bruntlett, and seamlessly turns a DP to Berkman at first. Hop, grab, turn, throw. Perfect.

3. Brandon Backe. Game 4. Starting pitcher. Now, much of the press is saying that Backe is a very emotional pitcher. Has had a not so hot season. Very unpredictable. Very unreliable. But, dammit, the Galveston native got out there on that mound yesterday and did an outstanding job against the Cardinals. This was the game the Cardinals knew they had to win. They had to tie the series. They couldn't let us leave with a huge 3-1 lead. They didn't want to make that mistake. And they would take every opportunity they could from Backe. But thru 5 2/3 innings, he only gave up two hits and one run. One run. I'll take that any day from the Cardinals.

4. Lights Out Lidge. Games 2,3,4. Closing pitcher. An outstanding performance from one of the most notable closers in Astros history. He hasn't allowed a Cardinals run since May, 29, 2003. It's no wonder they call him Lights Out Lidge. Cause when he's on the mound, its: Lights Out. Game Over.

5. Mike Lamb. Game 3. Mike's been pretty quiet throughout the postseason. So it was a breath of fresh air to see him step up and give us a two-run homer off Cardinal's prize pitcher Matt Morris. This gave us a 2-0 lead and the game.

6. Jason Lane. Game 3. On second base. As Ausmus punted a single into right, Lane stole third base and took out Cardinal's third baseman Nunez. Not that I condone violence of any kind, heh heh...but this forced the RedBirds to put Luna in for Nunez. Subsequently, Luna made a horribly off throw to catcher Molina, making it more than easy to Lane to jog home for a run.

7. Willy Taveras. Game 3. Center field. Last out. As the last fly ball in the last out in the last inning of Game 3 soared into deep center field, Willy T. gracefully climbed the hill in outfield for a spectacular out. In the same series, celebrated center fieldman for the Cards, Jim Edmonds, tried the same play on the same hill in the same outfield with no luck, as he dropped the ball and allowed Houston to score.

8. Roy Oswalt. Game 2. Starting pitcher. In seven innings, he allowed only five hits and one run. One run from power hitter Albert Puljols. Any time you can silence the great and powerful Puljols and keep him to just one run, it's a great day. With a Game 2 win, Oswalt is 3-0 this postseason.

9. Lance Berkman. A fan favorite. In the longest game in MLB postseason history, Lance gave us the fuel to fight off the Cards with his grandslam in the 8th inning against the Braves last Sunday. This put the score at 6-5 after trailing most of the game with a 6-1 defecit.