(Best E Casino) - General soreness has been keeping Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. out of the starting lineup during this four-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies. Griffey may get another chance for his 600th career home run in today's finale of the set from 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 then walked again as a pinch-hitter in Wednesday's 2-0 victory for the Reds, who ended a two-game slide and won for the sixth time in nine tries.

Griffey 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 38 games (132 at-bats) against Philadelphia and owns just four home runs. Griffey has also homered just twice in 55 plate appearances at hitter- friendly Citizens Bank Park.

Joey Votto broke up Brett Myers' no-hit bid last night with an RBI double in the seventh inning and knocked in another run in the ninth to lead the Reds. Starting pitcher Edinson Volquez fanned eight batters and allowed only two hits over seven innings. He has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any of his 12 starts this season, and his season ERA dropped to 1.32.

The Reds are 1-2 on an eight-game road trip through Philadelphia and Florida and 10-21 away from home this season.

Cincinnati youngster Homer Bailey will be called up from Triple-A Louisville in time to start against the Phillies today. Bailey, who has yet to make an appearance in the big leagues this season, went 4-4 with a 4.15 earned run average in 12 starts with Louisville.

Bailey, the seventh overall pick by the Reds in 2004, appeared in nine games for the Reds last season and compiled a 4-2 mark with a 5.76 earned run average. The right-hander faced the Phillies on June 26 at Citizens Bank Park, allowing six runs and six hits in just 1 2/3 innings of work.

Philadelphia had a three-game winning streak stopped on Wednesday and lost for just the second time over its last 10 contests. Myers pitched 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball, but took the loss despite allowing only one run and one hit in 7 1/3 frames. He struck out eight batters.

Ryan Howard and Geoff Jenkins had the only Philadelphia hits in the loss, as the National League East-leading Phillies fell to 7-2 on their 10-game homestand. The Phils are 1 1/2 games ahead of Florida in the division standings and 20-13 at home in 2008.

The Phillies will hand the ball to Cole Hamels on Thursday, and he is 5-4 with a 3.73 earned run average in 12 starts this season. Hamels was 3-0 in a six- start stretch before his last outing on Saturday versus Florida, when he was reached for seven runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-3 setback.

The left-hander, who has allowed six or more runs in each of his last two starts, is 3-3 in seven home starts this season. Hamels will face Cincinnati for the second time this season, having won an April 7 performance at Great American Ball Park. He gave up two runs -- one earned -- in seven innings during a 5-3 victory.

In three career starts against the Reds, Hamels is 2-0 with an 0.86 ERA.

Philadelphia leads the 2008 season series with Cincinnati by a 4-3 count. The Phils are 16-10 against the Reds since the start of the 2005 campaign.