Matt Harvey threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings before rain cut his outing short, and Jose Peraza hit a grand slam on Sunday as the Cincinnati Reds blew the game open in beating the visiting Milwaukee Brewers 8-2.

Peraza hit the slam off rookie right-hander Aaron Wilkerson, just recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs, to cap a five-run sixth inning. It was Peraza's fifth home run of the season and his third in his last five games.

Harvey (4-5) didn't allow a hit until the fourth, and gave up another in the fifth when rain halted play for 54 minutes. He won his third straight game while dropping his ERA to 4.91, lowest since his third start before the Mets dealt him to the Reds.

Harvey didn't walk a batter and matched a season high with six strikeouts. He was on pace for a longer outing, having thrown only 68 pitches.

The win was the Reds' 11th in 14 games and gave them a split of the four-game series. National League Central-leading Milwaukee has lost five of its last eight games.

Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (3-1), who entered the game unbeaten and sporting a 1.59 ERA, allowed five straight base runners to start the game, giving up three runs before getting an out. The runs scored on a double from Joey Votto and singles by Eugenio Suarez -- his 61st RBI -- and Scott Schebler.

Peralta shut the Reds down on one hit over the next four innings. He allowed five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in five innings.

Wilkerson, recalled Sunday to give the taxed Brewers' bullpen a fresh arm, got the first out in the sixth but then hit a batter and allowed three straight singles before Peraza's slam, the first of his career and the Reds' ninth of the season, the most in the majors. The Reds hit five slams in June, including a pinch-hit slam by pitcher Michael Lorenzen on Saturday.

Votto and Peraza each had two of the Reds' 10 hits. Travis Shaw had two hits for the Brewers, who had four overall.

Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, who left Friday night's game with lower back tightness, returned to the starting lineup and hit a two-run home run in the ninth against Reds closer Raisel Iglesias.

--Field Level Media