Ankiel optimistic after loss to Dodgers

JUPITER, Fla. -- Rick Ankiel gave up three runs and five hits in one inning, and the Cardinals lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5.

Ankiel entered in the seventh with the score tied at 2. The Cardinals' reliever took the loss in his second outing of the spring, giving up four straight two-out hits.

Ankiel, who missed all of last season with an elbow injury and has been plagued by wildness, faced seven batters. He walked none and struck out one.

"Physically, I feel fine. Maybe the next time I'll get them to hit the ball at someone. But I'm happy I got my pitches to work," Ankiel said. "Facing that many batters, I got more work, and that's a positive. I can't complain. They just didn't hit the ball at people today."

Ankiel, 23, was an 11-game winner as a Cardinals starter in 2000 but lost control of his pitches during the postseason and spent most of the next season in the minors. The left-hander is trying for a spot in the St. Louis bullpen.

Ron Coomer hit a solo home run in the ninth, giving the Dodgers a 6-2 lead. The Cardinals scored three times in the bottom half, two on a single by Eli Marrero.

Noteworthy

Cardinals reliever Gene Stechschulte had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder to clean up and repair his labrum. No significant rotator-cuff damage was found, and Stechschulte is to resume throwing in three months and return to game activity around the All-Star break, the Cardinals said.

Odalis Perez, the Dodgers' scheduled starter, was scratched after coming down with the flu. Alan Ashby started instead and worked two shutout innings.

St. Louis CF Jim Edmonds left the game after two innings, complaining of tightness in his legs. He struck out to end the first inning in his only at-bat.