(Best E Casino) - Still in search of his 600th career home run, Cincinnati Reds star Ken Griffey Jr. will take another swing at history this evening in the third test of a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Griffey did not play in Monday's series-opening 5-4 loss to the Phillies to catch up on some rest, then was walked in his only appearance at the plate during a 3-2 setback on Tuesday. He is just one home run shy of becoming the sixth player to reach the 600-homer club, which is currently occupied by Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa.

The sweet-swinging future Hall-of-Famer has played in 37 games (131 at-bats) against Philadelphia and owns just four home runs. Griffey has homered just twice in 54 at-bats at Citizens Bank Park.

Reds starter Aaron Harang allowed three runs on nine hits in six-plus innings to absorb the loss for Cincinnati, which has dropped two in a row following a three-game sweep of Atlanta. Edwin Encarnacion clubbed a solo homer, tripled and scored both runs for the Reds.

Cincinnati is 0-2 so far on an eight-game road trip at Philadelphia and Florida, and 9-21 as the visitor this season.

Reds center fielder Ryan Freel left last night's game with a strained hamstring and is day-to-day.

Edinson Volquez gets the start for the Reds on Wednesday, and he is 7-2 with an MLB-best 1.46 earned run average through 12 outings this season. He also leads the majors with 83 strikeouts.

Volquez, though, is 0-1 with a 1.98 ERA in his last three appearances. He toed the rubber on Friday versus Atlanta in a 3-2 Cincinnati win, but did not factor in the outcome after yielding a pair of runs and five hits over six innings of work.

The young right-hander defeated the Phillies on April 6 of this season, limiting Philadelphia to one run and five hits in 5 1/3 frames. It was Volquez's first-ever performance against the Phils.

Philadelphia has won three straight and eight of nine games to push their lead to 2 1/2 games over Florida in the National League East standings. In Tuesday's second straight one-run victory, Pat Burrell gave the Phils the lead for good with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

Jimmy Rollins was 3-for-4 with a double and scored once for Philadelphia, while Chase Utley finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Utley had homered in five straight contests, tying a franchise record.

Starting pitcher Adam Eaton had perhaps his best outing this season, limiting the Reds to three hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings for Philadelphia, which improved to 7-1 on its 10-game homestand. Eaton also struck out five batters and walked none to pick up his second straight win.

Aiming to stay in the win column this evening will be Brett Myers, who is 3-6 with a 5.52 ERA in 12 starts for the Phils this season.

Myers had dropped five straight decisions before winning his previous outing Friday versus Florida at Citizens Bank Park. Myers benefited from a lot of run support in 12-3 victory, allowing three runs and six hits in eight innings.

Myers, who is 3-1 in six home starts, lost at Cincinnati on April 6 of this season. He was reached for four runs -- three earned -- and eight hits through five innings of work. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.19 ERA in eight career appearances (6 starts) against the Reds.

Philadelphia, which is 20-12 at home in 2008, leads the 2008 season series with Cincinnati by a 4-2 count. The Phils are 16-9 against the Reds since the start of the 2005 campaign.