05/23/2006 9:56 PM ET
Griffey, Reds blow through Brewers
Top three spots in the lineup go 7-for-14 on the night
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
CINCINNATI -- National League, watch out.
And since Interleague Play is returning again soon, American League -- you take notice too.
Center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr., appears to be feeling good and at full speed once again after the knee injury took a month away from his season. And that's beginning to make opposing pitchers, and opposing hitters, feel pretty bad.
In a 3-for-4, four-RBI night, Griffey's three-run home run provided the go-ahead runs needed in a 7-3 Reds win over the Brewers at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati already locked up the three-game series with a pair of wins.
"Anybody that had any questions about Ken Griffey, Jr., I think they can be put to rest," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "He's played outstanding since he's been back."
Griffey declined to speak with reporters following the game.
Since returning from a strained tendon in his right knee, Griffey has hit four homers, including three in the last four games. All but one of the long balls were three-run blasts. The lone exception was Saturday's grand slam at Detroit. He has 18 RBIs since his May 11 activation from the disabled list, a night where he hit a huge walk-off homer in an extra-inning victory over Washington.
"He's still going to lead this team in RBIs even after missing a month," Narron said. "He's just an outstanding hitter, one of the best players in the game."
Clarification -- one of the best all-around players in the game. That was highlighted again in the top of the fifth inning when Griffey made a long run and leaping catch before crashing into the center field fence to rob Milwaukee's Geoff Jenkins of extra bases. Griffey also made two spectacular plays in Monday's victory, including a sliding back-handed catch from his knees.
"I've talked about that it's really going to take three weeks to a month to really be in outstanding playing shape," Narron said. "Just to see the way he's played the last couple of nights, he might make a little bit of a liar out of me because he's played outstanding defense."
Reds starter Elizardo Ramirez (2-3) gave up Prince Fielder's three-run double in the third inning and trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Felipe Lopez and Brandon Phillips began in the inning with singles off Brewers lefty Dana Eveland (0-1). That set up Griffey, who sent Eveland's 1-0 pitch 411 feet into the right-field seats for a three-run shot.
In the sixth, Lopez hit a leadoff double and went to third on Phillips' bunt single before Griffey added a sacrifice fly to left field. Phillips stole third base and came home on cleanup hitter Rich Aurilia's sacrifice fly.
"I'm just fortunate to be able to hit behind him," said Aurilia, who after Griffey's first-inning double, drove him in with an RBI single. "We're glad he's back. He's been playing some good defense for us, getting clutch home runs."
The Reds' top three spots in the lineup -- Lopez, Phillips and Griffey -- went 7-for-14 in the game.
"I just get on base, that my job. I know (Griffey) is going to do his job," Lopez said. "He's been doing it for what, 18 years? All I have to do is get on base for him."
Following Ramirez, Chris Hammond and Todd Coffey each posted two innings of scoreless relief.
Overall, Griffey is batting .268 with six homers and 25 RBIs this season. His 542 career home runs had him just six behind Mike Schmidt's 548 for 11th on the all-time list.
"His presence, you can't put a price on it in the batting order," Narron said of Griffey. "The big thing for us is if we can get guys on base in front of him where they have to pitch to him."
Then prepare yourself for something big to happen.
"It's sad but that's what people expect of him," Aurilia said. "It's probably not fair to expect that all the time but that's what people do ... of everyone that's ever played baseball, he's in the top one percent. When you do it for so long, so well, of course it's expected of you. It's not like you can expect every time up but when it happens, it's not a surprise to us."