Rookie Aristides Aquino continued his home-run barrage by belting a three-run shot in the fifth inning on Saturday as the host Cincinnati Reds recorded a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rookie Nick Senzel homered to lead off the first inning, and Freddy Galvis had a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Reds, who have won two of three following a four-game losing skid.

Matt Carpenter homered in the second inning for the Cardinals, who followed up Friday's 13-run, season-high 18-hit performance by falling for just the second time in eight contests.

Cincinnati was nursing a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning before rookie Josh VanMeter and Galvis each ripped a two-out single to center field. Aquino sent a first-pitch slider from Miles Mikolas (7-13) over the wall in center field for his 11th homer in 17 career games, including one game last season.

Aquino needed just 58 plate appearances to belt 11 homers, with only Philadelphia's Mike Schmidt (1976) requiring a fewer number (56) to reach that mark to begin a season.

Anthony DeSclafani (8-7) allowed one run on five hits in five innings before three relievers combined to strike out six over four scoreless frames to seal the win.

The Reds snapped a 1-1 deadlock as Phillip Ervin singled to lead off the fourth inning and advanced to third base on Tucker Barnhart's base hit to right field. Jose Iglesias' sacrifice fly to right field was deep enough for Ervin to score the go-ahead run.

Center fielder Senzel preserved that one-run lead after throwing out Dexter Fowler at third base to end the fifth inning.

Senzel started his strong night off with his bat after depositing an 0-1 fastball from Mikolas over the wall in right-center field. Senzel's homer was his 10th of the season and first against St. Louis.

Carpenter answered in the second inning by launching a 1-2 curveball from DeSclafani over the wall in right field. Carpenter's homer was his 11th of the season and first since June 17.

Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto sat out his third straight game with lower back tightness, while third baseman Eugenio Suarez was a spectator with a left thumb sprain.

--Field Level Media