After tying a postseason record with five home runs in the opener, the Cardinals stayed in the ballpark for Game 2 Thursday night. The result was the same: another 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Following a sweep at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals will head to Dodger Stadium with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five NL playoff series. The third game will be Saturday night, with Matt Morris trying to wrap it up against Jose Lima.

Milton Bradley, Shawn Green and Jayson Werth homered for the Dodgers, who lost their eighth straight playoff game and remained winless in the postseason since beating Oakland in the 1988 World Series. Los Angeles dropped to 0-5 at St. Louis this year.

Seven of the Cardinals' eight runs scored with two outs.

Less prominent players in St. Louis' high-powered lineup were largely responsible with the 6-7-8 slots in the order going a combined 8-for-10 with five RBI and five runs scored.

Matheny, the No. 8 hitter, became the first Cardinals player to get four RBI in a division series game with two-run singles in the fifth and seventh.

Renteria, the No. 6 hitter, was 3-for-4. His two-out, go-ahead single was the key blow in a three-run fifth that broke a tie and put St. Louis ahead 6-3.

Reggie Sanders was 3-for-3 and scored twice in the No. 7 slot.

The Cardinals overcame a shaky outing by 15-game winner Jason Marquis, making his first career postseason start. He couldn't hold a 3-1 second-inning lead, allowing homers to Werth in the first and to Green and Bradley on consecutive at-bats to start the fourth.

Marquis lasted only 3 1/3 innings - his shortest outing of the year - and allowed three homers for the second time of the year.

Dan Haren worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts. He's projected to be in the rotation next year, with Morris and Game 1 starter Woody Williams eligible for free agency.

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