Johnny Cueto was masterful in his first appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals since an ugly incident last season as the host Cincinnati Reds took back first place in the National League Central with a 7-3 victory on Saturday.

Ramon Hernandez posted his ninth multi-homer game and Brandon Phillips added his fifth blast and three RBIs for Cincinnati (22-17), which will go for its first three-game home sweep against St. Louis on Sunday since September 2007.

John Jay hit a three-run homer as the Cardinals (22-18) dropped their first season series since losing two of three in San Francisco April 8-10.

Cueto (2-0) was suspended seven games for kicking then-Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue and pitcher Chris Carpenter during a benches-clearing brawl Aug. 10. But the righthander kept his emotions in check in this one, allowing three unearned runs and three hits in 7 2/3 innings His only mistake was to Jay in the eighth after two infield errors.

The majors’ top home run hitting team didn’t waste any time against St. Louis starter Kyle McClellan (5-1). Phillips, who instigated the melee last season, led off the second with a homer and Hernandez hit a pair of first-pitch sinkers in his first two at-bats that provided the Reds a 3-0 lead.

Phillips added RBI singles in the fifth and seventh.

McClellan allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings.