Ankiel hammered a three-run shot in the seventh inning to give the Cards a 5-0 lead over the Padres, a score that would hold for the final.
Playing in his first big-league game since 2004, when he was a pitcher, Ankiel drew a standing ovation when he came to the plate for the first time in the first inning and then gave the fans a curtain call after his homer in the seventh.
Ankiel is looking like he might help the club just yet.
The 28-year-old has legitimate major league power, as evidenced by his 32 homers for Triple-A Memphis before being recalled, and he could be a useful platoon player for the Cardinals.
It's unlikely he'll be all that much help in NL-only leagues, but he's certainly someone to root for.
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