CINCINNATI (AP) — Hunter Greene allowed one run through seven innings, Jeimer Candelario hit a two-run homer and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 on Tuesday night to secure a win of the series between the NL Central rivals.

The hard-throwing Greene (9-4) allowed four hits while striking out eight and walking one in notching his third straight win in a game played in one hour and 59 minutes.

“My body felt really good,” the All-Star pitcher said. “(I was) able to get to all of my pitches. My release point felt great. Just felt super athletic and loose.”

Greene was asked if he has staked his claim of being considered the Reds’ ace.

“That’s for the people to decide,” he said. “I’ve already made up my mind of being one. I feel like my process has been solid. I’ve been as consistent as I could be. But there’s still a lot of work to put in, and the season’s not over yet.”

Reds manager David Bell likes Greene’s confidence and aggressiveness. Greene was still hitting 99 mph in his last inning of work.

“He’s pitching great,” Bell said. “I thought tonight (was) just another step of attacking, conviction behind his pitches. I know (Reds) hitters pick up on that, and it’s just attack, attack, attack. I thought he did it with his best fastball tonight.”

Spencer Steer had a two-out, RBI single in the first inning. Ty France led off the second with a homer off the roof of the Cardinals bullpen in right, his 11th of the season.

Candelario smashed his 19th homer with two outs in the sixth.

“I was just looking for a quality AB,” Candelario said. “I’m just putting myself in a great position to hit the ball hard and see what happens.”

Cardinals starter Erick Fedde (8-6) went six innings, giving up four runs and six hits and striking out two. He allowed both of Cincinnati’s home runs.

Nolan Arenado led off the seventh with a 400-foot homer into the left-field seats to cut the Reds lead to three in what would be Greene’s last inning.

Tony Santillan retired the Cardinals in order in the eighth, and Alexis Diaz got them in the ninth for his 24th save in 26 tries. He has 17 in a row.

Cincinnati won the series opener on Monday night 6-1.

“We haven’t come through in certain situations,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “You have to grind out at-bats. Moving forward we have to be better. Greene is not a guy you get right against.”

UP NEXT

Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson (7-4, 3.99 ERA) faces Reds right-hander Emilio Pagan (2-3, 4.22) in the finale of the three-game series Wednesday night.

Reds 4, Cardinals 1

St. Louis	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Winn ss	4	0	0	0	0	0	.273
Burleson dh	4	0	0	0	0	3	.275
Contreras c	4	0	1	0	0	2	.260
Arenado 3b	4	1	1	1	0	0	.270
Donovan lf	3	0	0	0	1	1	.265
Goldschmidt 1b	4	0	0	0	0	0	.232
Nootbaar rf	2	0	1	0	1	1	.228
Gorman 2b	3	0	0	0	0	2	.204
Scott cf	3	0	1	0	0	2	.119
Totals	31	1	4	1	2	11

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
India 2b	4	0	0	0	0	1	.245
De La Cruz ss	4	0	0	0	0	0	.264
Stephenson c	4	1	1	0	0	0	.245
Friedl cf	3	1	2	0	1	1	.226
Steer lf	3	0	1	1	1	0	.237
Candelario 1b	3	1	1	2	0	0	.228
France dh	3	1	1	1	0	0	.233
Fraley rf	2	0	0	0	0	1	.277
Espinal 3b	2	0	0	0	0	0	.247
Totals	28	4	6	4	2	3

St. Louis	000	000	100=1	4	0
Cincinnati	110	002	00x=4	6	0

LOB–St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 4. 2B–Contreras (16), Scott (5). HR–Arenado (12), off Greene; France (3), off Fedde; Candelario (19), off Fedde. RBIs–Arenado (53), Steer (75), France (3), Candelario 2 (55). SB–Steer (20).

Runners left in scoring position–St. Louis 3 (Gorman, Contreras, Arenado); Cincinnati 3 (De La Cruz, Fraley, Candelario). RISP–St. Louis 0 for 5; Cincinnati 2 for 6.

Runners moved up–Winn, Steer, Espinal. LIDP–India.

DP–St. Louis 1 (Gorman, Goldschmidt, Gorman).

St. Louis	IP		H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Fedde, L, 1-2	6		6	4	4	2	2	89	5.62
Liberatore	1		0	0	0	0	0	7	4.69
Armstrong	1		0	0	0	0	1	7	4.32

Cincinnati	IP		H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Greene, W, 9-4	7		4	1	1	1	8	106	2.83
Santillan, H, 1	1		0	0	0	0	2	10	1.64
Díaz, S, 24-26	1		0	0	0	1	1	18	4.07

HBP–Fedde (Espinal), Liberatore (Fraley). WP–Greene(2).

Umpires–Home, Mark Carlson; First, Emil Jimenez; Second, Jordan Baker; Third, Stu Scheuwater.

T–1:59. A–19,107 (43,891).