Matt Harvey allowed only one run in five innings, and Dilson Herrera and Scooter Gennett hit home runs as the visiting Cincinnati Reds continued their torrid play with a 9-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday in the opener of the three-game series between National League Central rivals at Busch Stadium.

Harvey (5-5) allowed just four hits, struck out five and walked two while winning for the fourth time in his past five starts, increasing his value as the July 31 trade deadline looms.

Carlos Martinez (6-5), who had won his past three starts, pitched five innings and allowed three runs and six hits. He struck out four, walked two and hit a batter, but was bested on this night by Harvey and timely hitting by the Reds.

Cincinnati scored twice in the first inning off Martinez on Jesse Winker's two-out, two-run double that brought home Jose Peraza and Joey Votto.

The Cardinals got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame as Yadier Molina's single to center field plated Paul DeJong.

Cincinnati answered in the third on Scooter Gennett's solo home run that pushed the Reds' lead back to two runs.

Everything came apart for St. Louis and reliever Tyler Lyons in the seventh, when the Reds scored five runs. Winker had an RBI single off Lyons to begin the scoring and Adam Duvall doubled off Sam Tuivailala to push the lead to 5-1.

Herrera then all but finished off the Cardinals with a three-run, pinch-hit home run that extended the Reds' advantage to 8-1. Scott Schebler capped the scoring with an RBI single in the eighth.

Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton made a highlight-reel play in the bottom of the seventh, scaling the wall to rob Matt Carpenter of a home run.

The Cardinals are home for this weekend's series prior to the All-Star break, as they continue a 20-game stretch during which they will be in St. Louis for just for these three games. St. Louis lost for the fifth straight game at home, their longest skid of the year at Busch Stadium.

--Field Level Media