Cardinals 1, Reds 0: Yadier Molina hit a solo home run to back seven scoreless innings by Adam Wainwright as St. Louis opened its defense of the National League Central crown with a win at Cincinnati.

Wainwright (1-0) struck out nine and yielded just three hits - all singles - while walking four to pick up his 100th career win. Carlos Martinez got the last two outs to escape a jam in the eighth and Trevor Rosenthal struck out two in a perfect ninth for the save.

Johnny Cueto (0-1) was the tough-luck loser, giving up Molina's seventh-inning blast among three hits while fanning eight in seven innings. Todd Frazier had two of his team's three hits and drew a walk for the Reds, who were blanked on Opening Day for the first time since 1953.

After Wainwright stranded a pair of runners to end the sixth, and Molina hammered the first pitch he saw from Cueto with one out in the seventh over the wall in left to provide all the scoring. Wainwright set down the side in order in the bottom half, striking out Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton for the fourth time to end it.

Wainwright also stranded a runner in the first, two in the second, another in the fourth and worked around a two-base error by center fielder Peter Bourjos to begin the fifth. Cincinnati had runners on the corners with no outs in the eighth and again with two outs due to two more errors by the Cardinals, but again failed to score and finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wainwright entered 5-9 with a 5.11 ERA in 20 career games - 15 starts - against the Reds. ... St. Louis had 75 errors last season, fewest in franchise history. ... The teams are off Tuesday before resuming the three-game series Wednesday.