Bruce: 'Awesome to get momentum going the right way'

It was a promising start to what could end up being an insufferable season for the Cincinnati Reds, though it came against the only team that won fewer games a year ago.

In a matchup of two rookie-laden clubs in a rebuilding season, a pair of young hurlers take the mound Wednesday night as the Reds seek their sixth straight victory over the lowly Philadelphia Phillies.

Cincinnati entered this season with its young pitching staff a major question mark, though it was the Phillies' relievers that failed late on opening day Monday at Great American Ball Park.

Starter Jeremy Hellickson delivered six strong innings for the visitors, but the Reds pounded the Phillies' bullpen for five runs in the eighth en route to a 6-2 win - their sixth in a row and ninth in 10 meetings at Cincinnati.

The Phillies were one of the only teams the Reds handled last season, topping them four straight times after dropping the first two meetings. Cincinnati still finished with its worst record since 1982 at 64-98, while MLB-worst Philadelphia went 63-99 for its worst mark since 1972.

But 2016 started out right for the Reds when Zach Cozart had three hits in his first game since tearing a tendon and two ligaments in his right knee against the Phillies in June, and Raisel Iglesias pitched six solid innings before the bullpen held up.

"Everybody makes this big deal about opening day. In the standings, it could be the least important day of the year," right fielder Jay Bruce told MLB's official website. "But it's awesome to get that win and get the momentum going the right way."

Offseason overhauls left each team with few recognizable players. Bruce and Joey Votto remain for the Reds, each logging two-run singles in the eighth inning Monday, and the Phillies still have Ryan Howard.

Less identifiable is Brandon Finnegan, who makes his fifth career start Wednesday for the Reds. The 22-year-old left-hander was acquired in the July trade that sent Johnny Cueto to Kansas City.

He went 2-2 with a 4.18 ERA in six appearances - four starts - with Cincinnati last season but posted a 10.05 ERA in six spring games. Finnegan draws the early outing on an inexperienced and already depleted staff.

The Reds placed four of their young starters on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, including top hurler Anthony DeSclafani - the ace of an all-rookie rotation for a major-league record 64 games to close 2015.

Philadelphia, too, features a young staff with Hellickson and Charlie Morton the only two starters with more than one year of MLB experience.

Wednesday's starter Aaron Nola made his big league debut last summer. The 22-year-old right-hander, the seventh overall draft pick in 2014, had been considered for opening day after going 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts last season.

Philadelphia's work-in-progress bullpen without a proven closer might be of more concern than who takes the ball in the first inning. David Hernandez, James Russell and Hector Neris earned a crack Monday but combined to allow five earned runs in the eighth.

"I hope that the right guys are here right now," manager Pete Mackanin told MLB's official website. "We'll continue through the season and we'll see who rises to the occasion."

The first Philadelphia home run came from Freddy Galvis, who has top prospect J.P. Crawford to fend off for the shortstop job.