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Griffey homers as Reds snap five-game slide

Apr 17, 2008 - 11:42 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 596th career home run and Joey Votto drove in five runs as the Cincinnati Reds snapped a five-game losing streak Thursday with a 9-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Griffey put the contest out of the reach in the seventh inning, belting a three-run shot off reliever Jon Lieber that gave the Reds an 8-2 cushion.

"The only thing that matters to me is my next hit or my next home run, not what happens in a couple games from now," said Griffey when asked whether he was thinking about his approaching milestone of 600 career homers. "Other than that, I'm not worried about any records."

Through six innings, Votto provided all of the Reds' offense with a three-run double in the fourth and a two-run homer in the sixth off Cubs starter Ted Lilly (0-3).

"I was happy to help the team avoid getting swept," Votto said. "It was important to get out of here with a win."

It was another bad outing for the slow-starting Lilly, whose ERA climbed to 9.16 after he surrendered five runs and six hits.

"I thought he pitched better today," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Obviously, the results don't show it. I think he's on his way. From that standpoint, I'm pleased."

Early in the season, Lilly has been trying to get his velocity back up to where it was last season, when he matched a career high with 15 wins.

"I can't focus solely on velocity and use that as a scapegoat or excuse of any kind," Lilly said. "I still expect to keep myself in ballgames even if my velocity isn't where it was last year."

Cincinnati starter Edinson Volquez (2-0) cooled off Chicago, which was looking to sweep the three-game series. He allowed one run and four hits in five innings with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Volquez notched his second win in three starts this season, lowering his ERA to 1.17.

The Cubs grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second, when Volquez walked Lilly with the bases loaded. But he avoided further trouble by getting Mike Fontenot to ground out to end the inning.

"I thought Volquez threw some great stuff out there today," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He used all of his pitches. He just needs to cut down on his counts. The bullpen did a really good job to finish it off."

After Votto's three-run double gave the Reds a 3-1 lead in the fourth, a strange sequence may have cost the Cubs a chance at tying the contest in the bottom of the inning.

With runners on first and second and none out, Henry Blanco three times squared to bunt despite having Lilly in the on-deck circle. Blanco eventually struck out when he bunted a 2-2 pitch foul.

Lilly got the runners over with a sacrifice, but first baseman Votto snared Fontenot's line drive that appeared headed for the right field corner, ending the threat.

Two innings later, Edwin Encarnacion doubled and scored on Votto's homer that extended Cincinnati's lead to 5-1.

The Cubs got one back in the bottom half on Blanco's RBI single, but Griffey ended Chicago's hopes for a comeback by blasting his third home run of the season.

"I'm not trying to hit home runs," Griffey said. "I'm just trying to get hits. Last series, we left 32 guys on base. We can't win that way. Today, we did things a little better."

"That's the way he pretty much has been his whole life - very low key," Baker said of Griffey, who ranks sixth on the all-time home run list. "Hopefully, he'll get this milestone over soon."

Reed Johnson had four hits for the Cubs, collecting three singles and a double.