Bullpen Bounce-Back Powers Reds to First Win of 2026

CINCINNATI -- Connor Phillips has pitched on plenty of big stages in his short time at the Major League level leading into this season. When he took the mound in the 10th inning against Boston, he was ready to silence the Red Sox' bats, and their momentum.

Phillips took the mound Saturday with the score tied 5-5 after Boston tied the game in the top of the ninth inning on a two-out solo home run by Wilyer Abreu off of Reds' closer Emilio Pagan.

The Red Sox had all of the momentum, but Phillips stemmed the tide. He didn't just do that in the 10th inning. Phillips came back out for the 11th and got three outs by facing just two batters, striking out Roman Anthony and getting Trevor Story to line into an unassisted double play by Matt McLain. Two innings, no hits, three strikeouts, no walks, 23 pitches, 16 of them for strikes. A wild card coming into this season, Phillips got off to a great start by giving a Herculean effort that helped the Reds win 6-5 for their first victory of the season.

Bullpen Tested

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagán (15) delivers the pitch in the eighth inning between the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati's bullpen only had to work three innings on Opening Day, allowing all three of the Red Sox' runs. That included two in the ninth inning that extended Boston's lead from 1-0 to 3-0. Pierce Johnson, one of multiple relievers acquired during the Winter, took the loss after allowing the game-winning hit in the top of the seventh.

When starting pitcher Brady Singer's day was finished after just four innings on Saturday, the Reds bullpen was tasked with getting 15 outs to preserve, at the time, a 4-3 Reds' lead. Phillips was the sixth Reds' reliever called to duty on Saturday.

Seven innings, two runs, three hits, 10 strikeouts, three walks, 111 pitches, 71 for strikes. That's what six Reds' relievers combined to do on Saturday against a tough Red Sox lineup that chased Singer early. Sam Moll, Pierce Johnson, Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, Emilio Pagán, and Connor Phillips combined for a Herculean effort and helped guide Cincinnati to their first win.

Reds fans were hungry for a win, and some runs, after a loss on Opening Day. With 38,892 in attendance on Kids Opening Day, Saturday felt like a game in late June as opposed to late March.

Even as the Red Sox had chances to really do damage to the Reds in the final seven innings of the game, the Reds' relievers stood tall on the mound. In the top of the eighth, the Red Sox put runners on first and second with two outs and Trevor Story coming to the plate. Pagán came out for a four-out save situation and promptly struck out Story on a controversial pitch in the dirt. But because the Red Sox were out of ABS challenges in regulation, they couldn't challenge the call. Manager Alex Cora was ejected after fuming at home plate umpire CB Bucknor.

Despite allowing a two-out home run in the top of the ninth, Phillips picked up Pagán in extra innings with an incredible display of efficiency, strike-throwing, and confidence.

This is a game, and performance, that can build confidence and belief in the Reds' bullpen. There is depth among the Reds' relievers, and not just in the sense of having arms. They have pitchers that can come in and get high-leverage outs. Six relievers combined to do just that on Saturday to the tune of 21 outs. It likely won't be the last time this season they have to pitch the majority of a game. Saturday showed they are capable of not only doing that, but getting up to seven innings-worth of high-leverage outs.