CINCINNATI -- Tucker Barnhart hit a home run batting right-handed during Spring Training, the first of his professional career from the right side.

On Monday night, the Cincinnati Reds catcher hit one that counted.

Joey Votto tied the score with a solo homer in the sixth, Barnhart belted a go-ahead solo shot in the seventh, and the bullpen took care of the rest in the Reds' 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

The switch-hitting Barnhart spent much of the spring refining his swing from the right side, and the hard work paid off Monday night with the eventual game-winning homer off left-hander Jonathon Niese.

"When a lefty comes in I'm no longer hanging my head," said Barnhart. "It's another weapon for me. It's satisfying to finally see some success (from the right side)."

Monday also marked a potential turning point for the much maligned Reds bullpen, which owned a 6.59 ERA coming in and had allowed at least one run in 25 of the past 26 games.

But, three relievers -- including Tony Cingrani, who earned his second career save -- held the Bucs scoreless over three innings. J.C. Ramirez (1-2) and Blake Wood each pitched a scoreless frame to get the game into Cingrani's hands.

Zack Cozart also homered, and Billy Hamilton had three hits for Cincinnati (14-19).

Niese allowed three home runs. The Pirates (17-15) collected five hits, including two each by Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte.

Reds starter Dan Straily cruised through five innings on 72 pitches. But, he ran into some trouble in the sixth when the Pirates loaded the bases with no outs.

Francisco Cervelli's sacrifice fly to deep center tied the score 1-1. Another run scored on a ground ball, putting the Bucs ahead 2-1. It could've been worse.

"We talk a lot about limiting damage," said Barnhart. "We did that in the sixth inning."

Votto took Niese out to the opposite field with one out in the sixth for his fifth homer to tie the score 2-2. That homer got Straily off the hook after he gave up only two runs and four hits over six innings.

"I'm just trying to fill up the strike zone with quality pitches," Straily said. "That's the consistency I'm looking for."

Barnhart's homer on the first pitch from Niese put Cincinnati back ahead 3-2. The ball barely cleared the left-field wall and required a short video review to determine if there was fan interference.

It was the first homer for the Reds catcher in 270 at-bats, ending the seventh-longest active homer drought in baseball.

"That's the reason we pushed (Niese) out there for the seventh," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "It's the bottom of the order. We wanted Barnhart to bat right-handed. You see how things worked out."

Cincinnati missed a scoring chance in the eighth when Eugenio Suarez lined into an inning-ending double play.

The Pirates nearly made the Reds pay in the ninth when Jung Ho Kang doubled against Cingrani to begin the inning and advanced to third with one out.

But, Jordy Mercer was retired on a hard grounder to second baseman Brandon Phillips against the drawn-in infield, and pinch-hitter David Freese flew to deep center to end it.

"He's a bulldog," said Barnhart of Cingrani. "He gave up the double then really settled down. We threw all heaters the rest of the inning."

Reds manager Bryan Price lauded a diving stab by Cozart in the eighth and Phillips' stop of Mercer's grounder in the ninth as game-savers.

"Think about that situation (in the ninth)," Price said. "You don't know if they are going on contact. If it gets through, it's a tie ballgame. Those are the types of plays that win games."

Cozart hit a solo home run leading off the bottom of the first, his fourth of the season and the sixth leadoff homer of his career, to put Cincinnati ahead 1-0.

Niese, who was facing the Reds for the first time this season, hit a batter and allowed a homer and a single in the first, but a double-play grounder prevented further damage.

"There are too many positives on this outing to dwell on the negative ones," Niese said. "I was a lot more crisp, a lot more relaxed on the mound."

NOTES: The Reds recalled RHP Layne Somsen on Monday and are going with an eight-man bullpen in an attempt to alleviate their struggles. ... To make room on the roster for Somsen, OF Kyle Waldrop was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. ... Injuries aren't helping Cincinnati's rebuilding efforts with 30 players making 47 appearances on the disabled list the past three seasons. Eight Reds currently are on the DL. ...Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen's 25 home runs against the Reds are tied for third-most with Ryan Braun and Albert Pujols. ... The Pirates allowed a leadoff home run for the first time since August 18, 2014.