CINCINNATI -- For the second day in a row, the Reds notched a win. For the second day in a row, role player Santiago Espinal provided the hit that put them ahead.

Espinal's two-run single during a three-run fifth inning helped the Reds to a 5-3 win over the Astros that snapped Houston's five-game win streak.

It was a 2-2 game in the bottom of the fifth against Justin Verlander when a two-out rally moved the Reds into the lead. Following singles by Ty France and Jake Fraley, Espinal blooped a two-run single that dropped near the right-field line between three defenders.

In Sunday's 4-3 walk-off win over Milwaukee, it was Espinal's pinch-hit comebacker of a single off the pitcher that scored the winning run in the 11th inning.

A fourth consecutive single against Houston -- by Amed Rosario to center field -- scored Espinal to make it a three-run game.

Starting on three days’ rest, rookie Julian Aguiar allowed two runs over 2 2/3 innings. A shorthanded bullpen came through as Sam Moll worked a scoreless 1 1/3 innings followed by Carson Spiers, who dodged bases-loaded danger in the sixth and allowed one run across 2 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Emilio Pagán pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, including the first two outs in the ninth inning. With Alexis Díaz unavailable after working four of the previous five days, lefty Justin Wilson picked up the final out for his second save.