KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was daytime, which is Brian Bannister’s time.

Bannister pitched eight sharp innings, Miguel Olivo drove in four runs and the Kansas City Royals took advantage of Cincinnati’s sloppy fielding to beat the Reds 7-1 Sunday for a three-game sweep.

Bannister is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three afternoon starts this season. He is 15-4 in 26 career day games, as opposed to 13-25 in night games.

‘‘I like pitching in the day,’’ Bannister said. ‘‘I’m kind of a morning guy, so my body feels good. I think that goes against what most guys how they feel. I try to put the pressure on them early.’’

A pair of errors by third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. helped the Royals score five unearned runs.

Bannister (5-3) gave up four hits and the only run he allowed was unearned after a throwing error by shortstop Luis Hernandez in the first inning.

‘‘We put the pressure on them offensively,’’ Bannister said. ‘‘It was good to sweep these guys. I try to set the tone as a pitcher. I threw 11 first-pitch strikes to 13 guys to start the game. That was huge for me. I kept the ball down as good as I have done all year. They couldn’t get the ball up in the air very well. I think we got hot and they got cold.’’

Reds starter Johnny Cueto (6-4) lowered his NL-leading ERA to 2.17 despite the loss. All five runs against him were unearned after the Hairston errors.

‘‘I don’t know if I could have a worser day,’’ Hairston said. ‘‘Even A-Rod goes through a bad stretch. You know it’s just the nature of the game and it’s unfortunate, especially when we’ve lost four in a row.

‘‘But we are a team that right now are scrappers, man, and Johnny Cueto was extremely positive and for a young pitcher, that’s pretty impressive. As cold as you are, you can be that much red hot. You’ve just got to keep grinding,’’ he said.

Kansas City outscored the Reds 18-6 in the series.

‘‘I think we got hot and they got cold all at the same time,’’ Bannister said. ‘‘It’s amazing how fast it can happen.’’

Sunday’s Game

Royals 7, Reds 1

Cincinnati Kansas City

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Dickrsn cf 4 0 0 0 DeJess lf 4 1 1 0

AlGnzlz ss 4 1 1 0 Blmqst rf 4 2 1 0

BPhllps 2b 4 0 1 0 Butler 1b 4 0 0 0

L.Nix lf 4 0 1 0 Jacobs dh 2 1 0 0

Gomes dh 4 0 1 0 Olivo c 4 2 2 4

Bruce rf 4 0 1 0 B.Pena c 0 0 0 0

RHrndz 1b 3 0 0 0 Callasp 2b 4 1 2 2

Hanign c 2 0 0 0 Teahen 3b 4 0 3 1

HrstnJr 3b 3 0 0 0 LHrndz ss 3 0 0 0

PenaJr ss 1 0 0 0

Maier cf 3 0 0 0

Totals 32 1 5 0 Totals 33 7 9 7

Cincinnati 100 000 000 — 1

Kansas City 104 000 02x — 7

E—Hairston Jr. 2 (8), Lu.Hernandez (1). DP—Cincinnati 2. LOB—Cincinnati 5, Kansas City 4. 2B—Gomes (4), Olivo (5). 3B—Callaspo (2). HR—Olivo (9).

IP H R ER BB SO

Cincinnati

Cueto L,6-4 6 7 5 0 1 4

Herrera 2-3 0 0 0 0 0

Masset 2-3 0 0 0 0 0

Rhodes 2-3 2 2 2 1 2

Kansas City

Bannister W,5-3 8 4 1 0 1 4

J.Cruz 1 1 0 0 0 1

Umpires—Home, Todd Tichenor; First, Jerry Layne; Second, Tony Randazzo; Third, Chris Guccione. T—2:38. A—24,525 (38,177).