Looper (11-10) struck out four and walked only one before Russ Springer and Troy Percival completed the shutout.

Rick Ankiel went 3-for-5 with an RBI and scored twice for St. Louis, which has won three straight and six of eight games to stay two games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Albert Pujols was 3-for-5.

Lance Berkman was the only player with two hits for Houston, which played the first game under interim manager Cecil Cooper after the club fired manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura Monday.

Woody Williams (8-13) allowed six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.