Luis Castillo threw the first complete game of his career to lead the visiting Cincinnati Reds past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Friday.

Castillo (2-5) threw a two-hitter, striking out six batters and walking three. The Reds (20-25) moved within 2 1/2 games of the Cardinals (19-19) for second place in the National League Central by winning the opener of a three-game series.

First baseman Joey Votto provided all the offense Castillo would need by hitting a two-run homer off Adam Wainwright (4-1) in the first inning.

Wainwright allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings. He worked six or more innings for the sixth time in seven starts this season.

Nick Castellanos drew a one-out walk in the first inning and came around on Votto's 442-foot homer to right field. Eugenio Suarez followed by hitting a single, but Wainwright escaped further trouble by coaxing a double-play grounder from Brian Goodwin.

Brad Miller drew a leadoff walk in the second inning, and Paul DeJong moved him to third base with a double into the left field corner.

Matt Carpenter hit a run-scoring, checked-swing groundout to cut the lead to 2-1, but Tyler O'Neill struck out to strand a runner at third.

The Reds pushed the margin back to two runs in the third inning. Shogo Akiyami hit a one-out single, Votto drew a two-out walk and Suarez yanked an RBI double into the left field corner to make it 3-1.

Wainwright struck out Goodwin to leave two runners in scoring position.

Goodwin reached on a one-out infield single in the sixth inning and moved up on Freddy Galvis' two-out bunt single. They stayed put, though, when Wainwright struck out Jose Garcia to end the inning.

Seth Elledge, Tyler Webb and Nabil Crismatt each threw a scoreless relief inning for the Cardinals, but St. Louis could not break through against Castillo.

--Field Level Media