HOUSTON - The Houston Astros won't let go of their NL Central title so easily.

Mike Hampton became the National League's first 21-game winner and Daryle Ward hit a two-run homer Wednesday night as the Astros beat Cincinnati 4-1 and once again tied the Reds for first place.

With three games remaining, the Astros and Reds are both 95-64. In the wild-card race, each is 1 1/2 games ahead of the New York Mets, who stopped a seven-game losing streak by beating Atlanta 9-2.

Houston closes with three games at home against Los Angeles and Cincinnati, which had its six-game winning streak stopped, ends with three games at Los Angeles.

Hampton (21-4) stranded at least one runner in scoring position in the first three innings without allowing a run. Cincinnati's Steve Parris (11-3) retired nine of the first 11 batters he faced.

Houston, which had lost eight of 11 and scored six runs in its previous three games, broke through in the fourth inning after a throwing error by shortstop Barry Larkin allowed Jeff Bagwell to reach.

Carl Everett doubled and Ken Caminiti drove in the game's first run with an RBI grounder. Ward followed with a liner off the left-field facade for a 3-0 lead.

Pokey Reese hit an RBI single in the sixth, but Houston got the run back in the bottom half on Caminiti's sacrifice fly.

Hampton, who tied the Astros' record for wins set by Joe Niekro in 1979, allowed one run and seven hits in eight innings with eight strikeouts. Billy Wagner finished for his 38th save in 41 chances, the 100th of his career.

Parris gave up all four runs - but just one earned - and six hits in five-plus innings.

Notes: In the event the Reds and Astros finish with the same record and the Mets finish with a worse record, Cincinnati would win the division because it beat Houston 9-4 in the season series and the Astros would be the wild card.

The Astros were a combined 13-25 against the Braves, Mets, Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Carl Everett is hitting .346 with runners in scoring position (470-for-136).

Scott Williamson, from the Houston suburb of Friendswood, leads all NL rookies in wins, relief ERA and saves.

Casey's first inning-double was just the third extra-base hit Hampton allowed to a left-handed batter this year.

Cincinnati finished 156-160 at the Astrodome, which closes as a baseball park Sunday.