MILWAUKEE - Brandon Finnegan's first start was a good one for the Cincinnati Reds, who opened a three-game series at Miller Park Friday night with a 5-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The centerpiece of the July trade that sent Johnny Cueto to Kansas City, Finnegan (1-0) made his Reds debut a week ago throwing two scoreless innings and followed that up by holding Milwaukee to a run on three hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings of work.

"We all want him to start at this point in time in his career," Reds manager Brian Price said. "Because he had so much immediate success for a team that went to the World Series, it would have been real easy for us to pigeon-hole him as a set-up lefty or a situational lefty or closer. That serves a need as well, but we felt it was important we gave him this chance to start."

Finnegan put runners in scoring position in the second, fourth and fifth innings but worked out of each of the jams with minimal damage, something Price attributed to his history as a reliever in his short major league career.

"His background makes him used to coming in with inherited runners or pitching out of his own jams," Price said. "He didn't looked to be flustered with guys on base.

"We had relief pitchers ready if he got into any trouble in the fifth. He managed to work around that leadoff double and pitch beautifully."

The Reds' offense, missing center fielder Billy Hamilton and first baseman Joey Votto, scraped together just enough offense for the 22-year-old to earn his first victory with Cincinnati.

Third baseman Todd Fraizer provided an early boost, putting the Reds up, 1-0, with a first-inning single. Right fielder Jay Bruce added a solo home run in the fourth and back-to-back doubles by shortstop Eugenio Suarez and first baseman Adam Duvall made it a 3-1 game.

All three runs came against Brewers' rookie Zach Davies (1-2), who in his third major league start allowed five hits and four walks while striking out four over six innings of work.

"I was just losing a bit of my command," said Davies, who came to the Brewers in a deadline deal with the Baltimore Orioles. "There were some moments in the game I felt like I had it and some moments that I just fell apart. Just kind of got the best of me."

Left fielder Khris Davis got Milwaukee on the board with a solo home run in the second, and the Brewers missed a golden opportunity in the sixth, They made it a one-run game when right fielder Ryan Braun scored on first baseman Jason Rogers' fielder's choice, but pinch-hitter Adam Lind struck out with the bases-loaded to end the inning.

"We got runners on, (but) we just didn't get that next hit," manager Craig Counsell said. "That was the story of the game."

Center fielder Jason Bourgeois restored the two-run lead with a solo home run in the seventh and pinch-hitter Brennan Boesch added some insurance with a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth.

Milwaukee got back within a run on Rogers' solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but right-hander Aroldis Chapman closed the door in the ninth, locking down his 31st save of the year.

NOTES: Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson will spend another night under observation at a Milwaukee hospital after he was struck in the head by a line drive Thursday night against St. Louis. Nelson suffered a contusion and is expected to pitch again this season, manager Craig Counsell said. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto sat out Friday night to serve a one-game suspension for arguing with umpire Bill Welke on Sept. 9. He was originally suspended two games but had that punishment reduced Friday morning by MLB. ... CF Billy Hamilton was not with the Reds on Friday; he returned to Cincinnati for an MRI on his right shoulder. He had to leave Cincinnati's game Monday because of soreness, didn't play Tuesday and appeared as a pinch-runner Wednesday; a role manager Bryan Price said he'll use Hamilton in for the near future. ... Both teams will send rookies to the mound in each of the three games of the series, marking the first time since 1913 that it has happened in the majors.