NL Wire Notes | Griffey closer to milestone after 594th HR

Ken Griffey Jr. doesn't give much thought to his statistics — not even the big one that's fast approaching.

For the moment, he's more wrapped up in smoothing out his swing.

Griffey hit his 594th career homer Sunday, a two-run shot that resumed his pursuit of a seldom-reached milestone and powered the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-2 victory over Philadelphia.

Griffey's first homer of the season, off Brett Myers, left him six shy of becoming only the sixth player with 600 major league homers. He would join Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa.

One week into the season, Griffey is still trying to get comfortable at the plate.

"It's a day-in, day-out process. I don't even think about [600 homers]," said Griffey, who went 2 for 4 to raise his average to .263.

He homered in his hometown of Cincinnati for the 100th time. The 38-year-old Griffey hit 398 as a Seattle Mariner before being traded to the Reds.

Atlanta: RHP John Smoltz's six strikeouts left him 19 short of 3,000 in his career.

Chicago: C Henry Blanco played in place of Geovany Soto. Base stealers are 7 for 7 against Soto this season.

Cincinnati: RHP Edinson Volquez, who dazzled Philadelphia with a mid-90s fastball, was only 3-11 in 20 appearances for Texas before his trade to the Reds in December.

Colorado: SS Troy Tulowitzki snapped an 0-for-18 slump with two hits against Arizona.

Florida: RHP Rick VandenHurk was optioned to AA Carolina after being hit hard in a second straight start.

Houston: 3B Ty Wigginton has a small fracture in his left thumb. ... 1B Lance Berkman missed another game with a sore neck.

Los Angeles: Coach Larry Bowa returned after serving a three-game suspension for ignoring umpires' warnings not to leave the third-base coaching box during a game.

Milwaukee: OF Gabe Kapler, making a comeback after managing Class A Greenville last season, is batting .438 with two homers.

New York: The Mets were 3 for 19 with runners in scoring position in two games in Atlanta.

Philadelphia: Phillies closer Brad Lidge made his first appearance since coming off the DL, pitching a perfect eighth.

Pittsburgh: SS Jack Wilson went on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf.

St. Louis: RHP Kyle Lohse, signed as a free agent on March 14, has 12 scoreless innings in two starts.

San Diego: A baserunning blunder by Brian Giles cost the Padres a run in their loss to Los Angeles. He was tagged out after rounding third base. Adrian Gonzalez then doubled.

San Francisco: LHP Barry Zito, who complained about a lack of velocity in his opening start, threw as hard as 87 mph in the loss to Milwaukee. He didn't get any help from his defense, which committed two errors that led to runs.

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