Griffey stuck at 599 as Reds roll past Braves 6-2

[June 02, 2008]  CINCINNATI (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr. remained one homer shy of 600, but Jay Bruce had a solo shot and a run-scoring single Sunday, completing his amazing debut week and leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Rookie right-hander Johnny Cueto (4-5) returned to his first-game form, allowing only a bunt single through the first six innings against a team that can't do anything right on the road.

Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann homered off Cueto in the seventh, but the comeback stopped there -- again.

The Braves have been nearly unbeatable at Turner Field, going 22-7. Away from home, it's nearly the identical opposite. Atlanta is 7-21 on the road, where it has lost its last 20 one-run games since August.

Atlanta wound up swept in Cincinnati for the first time since September 1996.

From the first inning on, the focus was on Griffey, who connected for No. 599 in the Reds' 10-inning, 8-7 victory on Saturday. Bruce ended that one with his first big league homer, a solo shot.

Griffey singled, doubled and flied out against starter Tim Hudson (7-4), who left after straining his left hamstring in the seventh. The crowd of 35,942 booed when Blaine Boyer intentionally walked Griffey later in the inning.

So, his quest to become the sixth to 600 now moves to Philadelphia, where Griffey will face right-hander Kyle Kendrick on Monday. Griffey is 4-for-5 career off Kendrick without a homer.

No surprise if the historic homer comes away from home. Griffey's 200th, 300th, 400th and 500th homers have all come on the road -- at Boston, Cleveland, Colorado and St. Louis.

Two rookies led the Reds to their 12th win in their last 13 home games. Cincinnati has been a lot like Atlanta in that regard -- tough at home, roughed up on the road.

The 22-year-old Cueto had the most impressive debut ever by a Reds pitcher, but has looked more like a rookie since. He lasted only five innings in each of his last two starts.

Cueto didn't allow a hit until Gregor Blanco led off the sixth with a bunt single. Teixeira homered with one out in the seventh, and McCann followed with the 14th homer allowed by Cueto.

Adam Dunn hit 10 homers in May, and got the new month off to a powerful start on the first pitch he saw from Hudson, hitting a 420-foot solo homer. Bruce hit his second homer an inning later, drawing another round of "BRUUUUCE!" cheers from the crowd.

Bruce also singled home a run in the seventh, completing an amazing week for the 21-year-old outfielder. Bruce went 13-for-22 with six walks, two homers, two steals and six RBIs in his first six games.

Notes: RHP John Smoltz threw one inning for Class A Rome and had one strikeout Saturday night in his latest rehab start. Smoltz, who has been on the DL since April 29 with a sore arm and shoulder, could be activated on Monday and join the bullpen. ... Hudson's hamstring will be evaluated again on Monday. ... Reds SS Jerry Hairston Jr. extended his hitting streak to nine games, matching his career high from 2002.

[Associated Press; By JOE KAY]

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