(CNN) -- Genoa prevented city rivals Sampdoria from moving into Serie A's top three after triumphing 3-0 in a fiery derby on Saturday that saw three players sent off.
The home side moved up to fifth place, just a point behind the Blucerchiati.
Omar Milanetto put Genoa ahead from the penalty spot in the 10th minute Reto Ziegler was ruled to have fouled Rodrigo Palacio, then the Sampdoria player managed to hit his own post trying to clear Giuseppe Sculli's low cross.
Giuseppe Biava had a header tipped onto the crossbar by Samp goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi, but he was then sent off just before halftime after receiving a second yellow card for deliberate handball.
Marco Rossi doubled the lead in the 53rd minute, passing the ball through Castellazzi's legs after evading the hapless Ziegler, who gave away his second penalty of the night in the 75th minute for a foul on Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
Raffaele Palladino made it 3-0 from the spot, while the visitors ended the game with nine men when Fabrizio Cacciatore was red-carded with two minutes left as tempers flared.
In Saturday's other game, top scorer Antonio Di Natale returned from suspension to inspire Udinese to a 2-0 win at home to struggling Livorno.
He curled in a 29th-minute freekick before Antonio Floro Flores made it 2-0 with a header from Aleksander Lukovic's cross 10 minutes later, lifting Udinese up to 12th and leaving Livorno in the bottom three.
Meanwhile, third-placed AC Milan will be without right-back Massimo Oddo for the rest of this year due to a thigh injury suffered in the Champions League clash with Marseille.
The 33-year-old was replaced by Ignazio Abate 28 minutes into the 1-1 draw at the San Siro last Wednesday, which left Milan two points behind group leaders Real Madrid ahead of the final match away to Swiss side Zurich on December 8.
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