(Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals try to make it two straight wins this afternoon when they play the rubber match of their three-game interleague series with intrastate rival Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium.

St. Louis ended the Royals' six-game winning streak on Saturday, as Rick Ankiel hit a two-run home run, and Mitchell Boggs tossed six-plus solid innings, lifting the Cardinals to a 5-1 win.

Boggs (3-0) allowed a run on four hits -- walking four and striking out six -- for St. Louis, which also snapped a three-game losing streak. Boggs remained undefeated in four starts since being promoted from Triple-A Memphis earlier this month.

Chris Duncan drove in a run for St. Louis, while Ryan Ludwick doubled and scored a pair of runs.

Ross Gload knocked in the only run for the Royals, who lost for only the second time in their last 13 games, but are still tied with the Minnesota Twins for the best record in interleague play this season at 13-4.

Kyle Davies (3-1) was touched for all five runs -- three earned -- on seven hits in 6 1/3 frames to drop his first decision of the season.

Heading to the hill for the Cardinals today will be right-hander Braden Looper, who is 9-5 with a 4.22 ERA. Looper won for the third time in his last four decisions on Tuesday against Detroit, as he surrendered four runs and seven hits in six innings.

Looper received a no-decision against the Royals two starts ago, despite giving up just one run in seven innings and is 0-1 lifetime against them with a 4.38 ERA in six games (one start).

Kansas City will counter with young righty Brian Bannister, who has won his last three decisions and is unbeaten in his last six starts. Bannister surrendered three unearned runs over seven innings in beating the Colorado Rockies on Monday, as he upped his mark on the year to 7-6, while lowering his ERA to 4.47.

The 28-year-old hurler defeated Looper and the Cards on June 18 and is 2-0 in two starts against them with a sparkling 1.29 ERA.

Kansas City is 4-1 against St. Louis this season.