CINCINNATI -- Johnny Cueto said he was distracted at times during Monday night's game while facing his former team in the ballpark in which he debuted. However, he pitched well enough.

"It was a little different (facing) the team that saw me grow as a professional player," Cueto said through a translator. "But it's part of the game. This was just a baseball game."

Cueto allowed six runs, all in the third inning, but Brandon Crawford's go-ahead, three-run home run in the seventh earned him a no-decision as the San Francisco Giants rallied for a 9-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

"Great comeback," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's disheartening to have a three-run lead, then you're down 6-3. These guys fought back and found a way to win the game. We had a lot of great at-bats."

Reliever Vin Mazzaro (1-0) earned the victory in his debut for the Giants, and Santiago Casilla recorded his fifth save.

It was a rough homecoming for Cueto, who was pitching in Cincinnati for the first time since being traded away last July. He got roughed up in the third, allowing all six of Cincinnati's runs, including Joey Votto's three-run homer. In his other four innings, he permitted just one hit.

"Johnny just kind of got out of rhythm," Bochy said. "He was locked in after that, gave us two big innings to keep it a three-run game and give us a chance to comeback."

Crawford, who was 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position with just four RBIs in his past 17 games, capped the rally with a three-run homer against Drew Hayes.

"It's been frustrating," said Crawford, who had four RBIs on the night. "I've put some good at-bats together that haven't turned into hits. I felt like my swing was there. I just had to stick with it. It paid off tonight."

Reds starter Brandon Finnegan, among three left-handed pitchers acquired from the Royals last season in exchange for Cueto, pitched six innings of three-run ball. He left with a three-run lead before the Reds' bullpen, which has allowed a run in 20 consecutive games to tie a modern major league record, relinquished another lead.

Afterward, Finnegan admitted to pitching with a tight hamstring. Not good news for a Cincinnati rotation already decimated by injuries.

"He started having problems in the third inning," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We were more aggressive (leaving him in) than I normally would be."

Part of the reason is having few reliable options in the bullpen. J.C. Ramirez (0-2) was charged with four runs in the seventh, but it was Hayes who gave up Crawford's blast, the 22nd homer allowed in 26 games by Cincinnati's relief corps.

"It's hard finding a recipe right now," Price said. "We go with the freshest arm. We're bringing up guys who might not be ready. Guys are pitching out of their roles. We've got to get healthy."

Brandon Belt had three hits for the Giants (14-13), and Crawford, Buster Posey and Kelby Tomlinson had two hits apiece.

Ivan De Jesus Jr. went 2-for-3 for the Reds.

Cueto received a nice ovation from Cincinnati fans when he took the mound, in appreciation of his 92 wins in eight seasons there before being traded to the Kansas City Royals.

In the second inning, Cueto got another nice hand when he batted with the bases loaded. However, he didn't respond kindly, delivering a two-run single against a drawn-in infield to put the Giants ahead 2-0.

Finnegan needed 43 pitches to get through the first two innings, allowing three runs with three walks.

The wheels came off for Cueto in the bottom of the third, however.

Votto's 418-foot, three-run blast was sandwiched between an RBI double by Billy Hamilton and an RBI triple by Jay Bruce to put Cincinnati ahead 5-3.

The Reds (10-16) sent 11 batters to the plate in the third, scoring six runs on six hits. Cueto threw 46 pitches in the third, the most for a Giants pitcher in any one frame in more than 11 years.

"That's a lot of pitches," Cueto said. "I just had to stop the damage there and give my teammates an opportunity to come back."

NOTES: Reds C Devin Mesoraco was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder. C Ramon Cabrera was recalled from Triple-A Louisville. ... Reds SS Zack Cozart was out of the lineup due to tendinitis in his right knee, the same one he had surgery on last season. ... With LF Angel Pagan still nursing a mild hamstring strain, the Giants recalled LF Mac Williamson from Triple-A Sacramento. Williamson started in left field Monday. ... Giants 2B Joe Panik, out with a groin injury, took ground balls and hit off the tee on Monday. He is expected back by Thursday.