MILWAUKEE -- After his second multi-home run game of the week, Khris Davis is back to playing with confidence.

"I've got a little attitude going," Davis, the Milwaukee Brewers left fielder, said with a smile.

Davis welcomed Jonathan Broxton back to Miller Park by taking his former teammate deep for a decisive two-run home run in the eighth inning Sunday, as the Brewers avoided a sweep with a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park.

"It doesn't matter where I pitch," Broxton said. "I didn't get the job done today."

After going homerless in 47 at-bats from July 19 to Aug. 5, Davis has four home runs in his last 15 at-bats, including two homers Sunday.

"That's who he is, and he's trying to lengthen those good streaks and shorten those bad streaks," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "When you get him in those good streaks, he can win games for you. He will win games for you."

Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson and the Cardinals had a consecutive scoreless innings streaks snapped Sunday.

Third baseman Elian Herrera ended the consecutive scoreless innings streak of St. Louis pitchers at 38 with a one-out solo home run to left field off Cardinals right-hander John Lackey in the third inning.

After center fielder Shane Peterson worked Lackey for a seven-pitch walk to keep the inning alive, Davis connected for a two-run home run into Milwaukee's bullpen in left-center field to make it 3-0.

Nelson took his personal streak of innings pitched without allowing an earned run up to 25 2/3 before the Cardinals broke through in the sixth inning to cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-1.

Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward lined a two-out single into left-center field to score second baseman Kolten Wong, who reached on an infield single and stole second base earlier in the inning.

St. Louis used an infield single and a seeing-eye single to put two on with nobody out against Nelson in the seventh inning. After a sacrifice bunt by catcher Tony Cruz advanced the runners to second and third, pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds hit a shot back up the middle that caromed off Nelson and straight to first baseman Adam Lind for an easy out.

With left-handed hitters Carpenter and Wong due up next, Counsell had left-hander Will Smith ready to go in the bullpen.

But Counsell instead stuck with Nelson against third baseman Matt Carpenter, who gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead by launching a three-run home run into the second deck in right field.

"That's a tough spot," Counsell said. "To me, (Nelson) was just so good up to that point. That inning got started on an infield hit, then a little eight-hopper that got through the right side. He made good pitches to Cruz on the sac (bunt). Made a nice pitch to Reynolds. I thought he was continuing to make his pitches."

Despite allowing four earned runs in seven innings, Nelson said it was the most locked in he's felt in the big leagues.

"It was just a few tough hits," Nelson said. "They hit two balls hard. But overall, that was easily the best my command has been. I was able to throw everything for a strike. It was just tough, but 'KD' (Davis) and the bullpen picked me up."

With the Cardinals needing offense in the top of the seventh inning, Lackey was removed for a pinch hitter, having allowed three earned runs on 66 pitches.

The Brewers put two on with two outs in the seventh, but Cardinals reliever Seth Maness got Herrera to fly out to deep center field to end the threat.

Pinch-hitter Jason Rogers led off the bottom of the eighth with a single off left-hander Kevin Siegrist, and Peterson moved pinch-runner Logan Schafer to second base with a sacrifice bunt.

Facing Broxton, who posted a 5.89 ERA in 40 games with the Brewers before being traded to the Cardinals on July 31, Davis homered to left-center field to put Milwaukee back in front at 5-4.

"It was a fastball," Davis said. "It felt just right there. It was a good pitch to hit and I was ready."

Based on how he ended his time with the Brewers and had begun his Cardinals career, Broxton appeared to be turning around what has been one of the worst seasons of his 11-year career.

The 31-year-old had not allowed a run over his last 10 1/3 innings dating back to July 2. In his four previous outings with St. Louis, Broxton had five strikeouts in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

"If I get back in that situation, I'm probably going to use Broxton," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "He's been dynamic for us. I'll use him again because I think that's one of the roles he'll be playing for us."

Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez worked a perfect ninth inning to record his 26th save of the season.

NOTES: St. Louis entered Sunday with a 36-inning consecutive scoreless innings streak on the mound, including three straight shutouts. The last time the Cardinals tossed four straight shutouts in the same season was July 6-11, 1943. ... Cardinals C Tony Cruz made just his 13th start of the season behind the plate Sunday, giving starter Yadier Molina a day off. Three of Cruz's 13 starts have come in August. ... The Brewers entered Sunday having been shut out twice in a row. Milwaukee has been shut out in three straight games just once in franchise history (May 3-6, 1972). ... Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson came into Sunday's start having thrown 20 2/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. ... Brewers CF Shane Peterson made his first career start in the leadoff spot Sunday. Peterson is the 10th different player to hit in the top spot for Milwaukee this season.