Despite continued back problems, Tony Womack started Game 7 of the NLCS at second for St. Louis. However, his back troubles caused Manager Tony LaRussa to drop him down to seventh in the lineup while moving Edgar Renteria into the leadoff slot.

Leading off for Houston, Craig Biggio smacked a flyball down the left field line and into the stands for a home run. Jeff Suppan retired the Astros next three hitters, but Roger Clemens was able to take a one run lead into the bottom of the first.

Jeff Kent led off the second with a walk and advanced to second when Vizcaino dropped a flyball into left center for a single. Both should have advanced a base and Kent might have been able to score when Ausmus hit a flyball deep into centerfield, but with his back to the plate Jim Edmonds made a spectacular diving catch, forcing the runners to tag up. Clemens struck out to end the inning.

In the top of the third, Carlos Beltran took a four-pitch walk and then stole second during Jeff Bagwell's at-bat. Beltran waited at second while Edmonds caught Bagwell's flyball before heading down to third. Edmond's throw to third came in low as Beltran slid into the bag. As the ball skittered away, Beltran got up and ran home, giving Houston a 2-0 lead.

After pitching two perfect innings, Clemens gave up a lead off double to Womack in the bottom of the third. Womack then advanced to third when Mike Matheny grounded out down the first base line. Having taken a lead a third of the way down the line, Womack scored easily when Suppan sent a hard sac bunt to the right side of the mound, narrowing the Astros lead to 2-1.

Leading off the top of the fourth, Jeff Kent took first after an inside pitch grazed the front of his jersey pulling it out of his pants. Morgan Ensberg followed with a line drive single into left field. Jose Vizcaino then hit a groundball to Albert Pujols, who threw to second to take out Ensberg while Kent advanced to third and Vizcaino safely reached first. However, Suppan struck out Ausmus and Clemens to strand the runners at the corners.

Edmonds led off the bottom of the fifth with a groundball single into right and advanced to second when Womack slapped a groundball into center for a single. After the first pitch of Matheny's at-bat, Ausmus threw down to first to pick-off Womack. The replay appeared to show Womack's hand getting back to the bag before Bagwell tagged his buttocks, but Bagwell's positioning effectively blocked the umpire's sightline. Matheny went on to hit a catchable fly into center, stranding Edmonds at second.

Pinch-hitting for Suppan, Roger Cedeno led off the bottom of the sixth with a grounder into right center for a single. Renteria laid down a sac bunt to advance Cedeno to second, and when Walker tapped a light groundball to the right of the mound, Cedeno moved to third. Pujols then smacked a line drive into left field, driving Cedeno in with a double. Scott Rolen sent Clemens' next pitch just over the wall down the left field line for a two-run homer. Clemens struck out Edmonds to end the inning, but St. Louis took a 4-2 lead into the seventh.

Replacing Suppan on the mound in the seventh, the only baserunner Kiko Calero allowed was pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro, who he plunked on the leg. In the bottom of the inning, Roy Oswalt relieved Clemens and pitched a perfect inning as the Astros sought to prevent the Cardinals from increasing their lead. Julian Tavarez then pitched a one-two-three eighth for St. Louis. Making the third out of the inning, Berkman hit a grounder up the middle, where Tavarez reached out and slowed it down with his injured glove hand. Renteria subsequently fielded the ball and made the throw to first to get Berkman. Tavarez remained crouched on the mound in obvious pain for a few minutes after the play.

Pinch-hitting for Tavarez, Marlon Anderson led off the bottom of the inning with a double on a flyball hit to deep right center. Renteria laid down a sac bunt to move Tavarez to third, and Walker drove him in with a groundball single into right field. Pujols followed with a line drive single into centerfield, advancing Walker to second, before Rolen hit into an inning ending double play. While turning two halted the landslide, Houston faced a 5-2 deficit going into the ninth. Swinging at the first pitches of their at-bats, both Kent and Ensberg attempted to drop flyballs into empty areas, but the Cardinals hustled and made the catches. Vizcaino grounded out to end the game. After taking Game 7 of the NLCS by a score of 5-2, St. Louis will join the Red Sox in Boston for Game 1 of the World Series tomorrow.

Following the game, Albert Pujols received the NLCS MVP award. During the series, Pujols hit .500 with a .563 OBP and 1.000 SLG on 14 H, 2 2B, and 4 HR with a 4:3 BB:K over 28 AB, racking up 9 RBI and 10 R.