SPORTSTICKER NL RECAP LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Ray Lankford homered twice in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second time in less than a week, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-6 victory. Lankford smacked a solo homer in the second inning off Ismael Valdes (4-3). After the Dodgers scored twice in the seventh to close to 7-6, he added a two-run shot in the eighth that gave the Cardinals a cushion. Lankford also homered twice on Sunday against the Dodgers, including a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. Tonight was Lankford's 11th career multi-homer game. "It's just one of those nights," Lankford said. "Right now, I feel good at the plate and I'm seeing the ball well. When you're in a zone, you see the ball better out of the pitcher's hand." Darren Bragg matched a career high with four hits for the Cardinals, who have won five of their last six games after enduring a three-game losing streak. Making his second start after 15 relief appearances, St. Louis righthander Juan Acevedo (3-1) allowed only one hit over five innings, a solo homer to Gary Sheffield in the fourth. Acevedo, who did not have a decision against Los Angeles in his other start five days ago, walked two and struck out a pair. "I'm just trying to keep the team in the game, keep the ball in the zone and make them get out," Acevedo said. "I feel more comfortable as a starter. I felt it would be a good change for me to work on my breaking ball and throw some innings." "He's an outstanding reliever, but when he's in the rotation, he's an outstanding starter," said St. Louis manager Tony La Russa. "He's definitely going to make his next start. He'll just get sharper and sharper." Manny Aybar allowed one hit over two scoreless innings to pick up his first career save. Sheffield also hit a pair of homers and knocked in three runs for Los Angeles, which lost for the fifth time in its last six games. It was Sheffield's third multi-homer game of the season and 14th of his career. In his shortest outing of the season, Valdes surrendered six runs -- four earned -- and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two, struck out three and had a seven-game home winning streak snapped that dated to July 21, 1998. "Ismael didn't have his best stuff," Los Angeles manager Davey Johnson said. "It didn't look like he had much. It's the worst start he had all year." Acevedo left after five innings with a 6-1 lead. But the Dodgers rallied for three runs in the sixth against the St.Louis bullpen. Todd Hundley, Eric Karros and Devon White delivered run-scoring singles off Mike Mohler. Fernando Tatis' 12th homer, leading off the seventh, gave the Cardinals a 7-4 lead. Sheffield's ninth homer in the bottom half of the inning brought the Dodgers within 7-6. However, the Cards tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth. Bragg led off with a single off Doug Bochtler and Lankford drilled his seventh homer over the center-field wall two outs later. Rookie Joe McEwing's sacrifice fly in the ninth gave the Cardinals the final margin. St. Louis broke on top with four runs in the second. Lankford led off with a homer, McEwing lofted a sacrifice fly and Bragg delivered a two-run single. Sheffield's homer in the fourth got the Dodgers on the board before Mark McGwire hit a sacrifice fly and Eric Davis drew a bases-loaded walk in the next inning to give the Cardinals a 6-1 bulge. Taking advantage of Hundley's reconstructed right elbow behind the plate, the Cardinals stole seven bases in eight chances. Hundley has thrown out just 5-of-42 (11 percent) runners attempting to steal this season.  