Ankiel powers Cards to sweep

ST. LOUIS -- Rick Ankiel homered for the second time in three days to snap a sixth-inning tie, capping a huge weekend series by the former pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals' 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Braden Looper allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings and Aaron Miles added an RBI double in the sixth as the Cardinals finally broke through against Bronson Arroyo. Looper (12-10) is 7-1 with an NL-best 1.74 ERA in day games and 4-9 with a 6.52 ERA at night.

The Cardinals swept the Reds in St. Louis for the first time since 2005, when they closed the final regular season at old Busch Stadium with three straight from Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

Jason Isringhausen allowed consecutive singles leading off the ninth before pinch-hitter Norris Hopper hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. He retired Alex Gonzalez on a groundout with the tying run on first for his 28th save in 30 chances.

Ankiel fouled out in the first and tapped out in the fourth before lining Arroyo's first pitch of the sixth over the right-field wall to break a scoreless tie. He added a sacrifice fly in the seventh off Bill Bray for a 3-0 lead and was 6-for-12 in the series with two homers and nine RBIs.

His sixth homer came on his 68th at-bat since being recalled from Class AAA Memphis on Aug. 9.

-- AP