CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals after they blew a five-run lead for the second straight day.

Votto connected off left-hander Kevin Siegrist (4-1) for his fifth career game-ending homer and Cincinnati’s third homer of the game. The Reds have won five of their last six games overall.

Cincinnati pulled ahead 6-1 with the help of Adam Duvall’s three-run homer off Mike Leake, his fourth homer in five games. The Reds got Duvall from the Giants as part of a trade for Leake last July, and the right-hander signed with St. Louis in the offseason.

Left-hander John Lamb shut down the Cardinals with his 65 mph curveball, allowing only one earned run in a career-high 7 1/3 innings. That’s when the major leagues’ worst bullpen let another late lead get away.

Blake Wood gave up Jhonny Peralta’s bases-loaded double in the eighth, cutting it to 6-4. Matt Carpenter tied it with a one-out, two-run double in the ninth off Tony Cingrani (1-2), the Reds’ 12th blown save in 19 chances this season.

Duvall hit his 17th homer off Leake, the second-highest total in the NL. He hit his first career homer off Leake with the Giants in 2014.

Leake had allowed only six runs in his last five games, but had a tough time against a team on its best hitting tear of the season. He gave up six runs in 6 1/3 innings, including Billy Hamilton’s second homer. In its last seven games, Cincinnati has scored 62 runs.

WELCOME BACK

The Cardinals activated Peralta off the DL and started him at third base. He had two doubles in four at-bats.

MOVES

The Reds optioned RHP Jon Moscot to Triple-A Louisville after two rough starts. OF Steve Selsky was called up, giving the Reds another option off the bench. Reserve Jordan Pacheco has been limited by a sore shoulder.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: C Brayan Pena started a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield. Pena hurt his left knee and had surgery during spring training. … RHP Seth Maness, who’s on the DL with a sore pitching elbow, will start a rehab assignment at Springfield on Wednesday.

Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani threw in the bullpen without a problem. He’s on track to make his first start of the season on Friday against Oakland. He’s been on the DL all season with a strained oblique.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: LHP Jaime Garcia is 10-4 career against the Reds, matching Oliver Perez for the most victories over Cincinnati by an active pitcher.

Reds: Alfredo Simon is 3-1 in his career against the Cardinals, winning his last two decisions.