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Ankiel, Cardinals looking for third straight win

Aug 10, 2007 - 2:35 PM LA Dodgers (59-55) at St Louis (53-59) 8:10 pm EDT

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Rick Ankiel will hope his second major-league game as an outfielder is as good as the first.

Ankiel will look to build off his first home run since 2000 and lead the the St. Louis Cardinals to their third consecutive win when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series Friday.

A Fort Piece, Florida native, Ankiel has transformed his career as an outfielder after being doomed as a major league pitcher due to continuing control problems. The 26-year-old, who was an 11-game winner in 2000, was called up Thursday and immediately helped the Cardinals.

Ankiel, who made his pitching debut in the majors at 19, blasted Doug Brocail's 2-1 offering into the right field stands for a three-run homer in Thursday's 5-0 triumph over the San Diego Padres. The former pitcher was hitting .267 with a Pacific Coast League-leading 32 homers and 89 RBI in 102 games at Class AAA Memphis this season.

After facing Chris Young on Thursday, Ankiel gets to face another All-Star pitcher when the Dodgers send Brad Penny (13-3, 2.66 ERA) to the mound. The 29-year-old righthander has lost his last two starts, giving up six runs with just six strikeouts over 13 innings in that span.

The Cardinals will counter with Adam Wainwright (10-8, 4.35), who has won four of his last five decisions. The 25-year-old former reliever did not receive a decision after giving up three runs and eight hits with three walks and seven strikeouts over seven frames in a 6-3 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday.