ST. LOUIS — Two consecutive victories turned out to be nothing more than a tease for the Dodgers and their slumping offense.

The Dodgers returned to losing-streak form on Saturday, going hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position. That made things easy for the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the Dodgers, 6-1, Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Pitcher-turned-outfielder Rick Ankiel did most of the damage, belting two home runs on a 3-for-4 day. It was Ankiel's third game since restarting his career.

"He had a good day," said Dodgers manager Grady Little said of the Cardinals' newest outfielder.

Ankiel broke into the majors as a pitcher in 1999 but control problems led to his eventual retirement.

In 2005 he announced that he would no longer pitch, and turned his attention to playing in the outfield. The comeback was complete when the Cardinals purchased his contract this past Thursday. He hit a home run off of the San Diego Padres in his first game and has three home runs in three games.

"It wouldn't matter if he started off 0 for 16," said Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe, who surrendered a two-run home run to Ankiel in the first inning. "To be able to be a pitcher and all of a sudden become a hitter and make it to the major leagues. St. Louis is in a pennant race. They're not going to call the kid up for a feel-good story. I'm amazed at what he could do. To do what he's doing is a phenomenal story."

The Dodgers' current story is considered by some to be equally as amazing but for all of the wrong reasons.

Braden Looper (10-9) was the latest opposing pitcher to look more like a Cy Young Award candidate, thanks to the Dodgers' inability to put more than two hits together.

Looper held the Dodgers without a hit for the first four innings and pitched his way out of his only jam in the fifth.

Nomar Garciaparra got the Dodgers' first hit with a leadoff single in the fifth. Andre Ethier followed with a double, only to see the rally die there.

Juan Pierre hit a first pitch fly ball to left field, which was caught on the dive by Chris Duncan. Ramon Martinez watched strike three whiz past him, and Lowe grounded to shortstop.

"That did kind of set the tone for the game, but those things happen," Little said.

Two errors by shortstop Rafael Furcal allowed the Cardinals to build a 5-0 lead in the third inning.

Adam Kennedy reached base on Furcal's first error and made it easily to second base when Aaron Miles dropped a perfect bunt down the third-base line. Ankiel followed with a single to load the bases and Furcal's second error of the inning allowed Kennedy to score. Edmonds hit a two-run single later in the inning.

The Cardinals' final run came in the seventh inning, when Ankiel hit a Roberto Hernandez pitch for a home run.

Lowe took the loss and fell to 8-11.

"We're one hit from not being good and we're one hit from being good," said Ethier, who hit two doubles on Saturday. "We need to rally behind each other instead of pointing fingers and looking at who to blame. We need to rally behind each other and pick each other up and be there for each other. That's where we are."