JUPITER, Fla. (AP) _ Rick Ankiel was glad to get the win, but the fact that it came against Dwight Gooden made it even better.

``That's my idol right there, so today was fun,'' Ankiel said after his St. Louis Cardinals beat Gooden's Houston Astros 2-1 Sunday. ``I got a chance to watch him when he was young, and he's still unbelievable.''

Gooden, 35, praised the poise he saw in Ankiel and noted that while batting, he had no choice but to watch the first two fastballs thrown by the 20-year-old.

``He slipped the first two past me,'' said Gooden, who won the NL Cy Young at age 20 in 1985. ``When he threw me a curve, he did me a favor. I couldn't keep up with his fastball.''

Gooden, considered a good hitting pitcher, popped out twice against Ankiel in a game shortened by rain to six innings.

No longer the dominator Ankiel is expected to be, Gooden allowed two runs and three hits in five innings, striking out four and walking two.

``I believe I'm where I want to be,'' Gooden said, who last year was shuffled between the starting rotation and bullpen with Cleveland and finished 3-4 with a 6.26 ERA. ``The most important thing, looking back at the past couple of springs I had, I think I'm a little better off where I am right now. The last couple of years I didn't feel as good as I feel now.''

Gooden, battling for a spot in the Astros starting rotation, held St. Louis to one hit through the first three innings. Fernando Tatis ended Gooden's spring scoreless streak at eight innings with a two-run, two-out single in the fourth.

Gooden has allowed five runs and right hits in 15 innings this spring.

Ankiel, meanwhile, limited the Astros to two hits, striking out five _ three looking _ and walking one in five innings.

``I felt like me today, finally,'' said Ankiel, who allowed five runs and three hits in his prior start. ``Today was definitely my best day out, something in my timing, in my mechanics, clicked ... right now it's getting exciting, I'm just looking forward to my next time out.''

``I thought he threw the ball very well,'' Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. ``He made a lot of good pitches, made a mistake or two, came right back and corrected it. So he was very impressively.''

Gooden also was impressed with Ankiel's command.

``I think he's probably a more complete pitcher at this stage than I was,'' Gooden said. ``I was mostly a power fastball and curve; he has a fastball, curve and a good change. He also has better command of his pitches then I did at his age.''

Ankiel appreciated, but downplayed the compliment from Gooden.

``I don't know about that, but it's good to hear,'' Ankiel replied. ``You look at some of the stuff he did when he was young and you just say wow.''

Ankiel pitched with a 47 on his cap in honor of Joe McEwing, traded Saturday to the Mets for left-hander Jesse Orosco.

``Super Joe,'' Ankiel said. ``How can you not love Joe. ... That's a person that you try to be like in every aspect of life, Joe has definitely done it right. We're definitely going to miss him, and hopefully one day he can come back.''

Notes: Mark McGwire played for the first time after missing four games due to a strained groin. He went 1-for-3. ... Orosco, who will wear number 47, was expected to make his first appearance for St. Louis on Monday or Tuesday.