Griffey Homers to Pass Frank Robinson

Ken Griffey Jr. hit another milestone home run, and pitcher Bobby Livingston had the kind of day at the plate he'll one day tell his grandchildren about. <br/><br/>Griffey passed Frank Robinson for

Tuesday, July 17th 2007, 7:44 am

By: News On 6

Ken Griffey Jr. hit another milestone home run, and pitcher Bobby Livingston had the kind of day at the plate he'll one day tell his grandchildren about.

Griffey passed Frank Robinson for sixth place on the career home run list, and Livingston, a relatively unknown pitcher called up by Cincinnati before the game, went 4-for-4 with an RBI in the Reds' 10-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

``That's no fun,'' Griffey said with a big grin. ``It just takes me out of my pinch-hitting role. They'll call on him now.''

Griffey's 24th homer, a three-run shot into the right-field seats at Turner Field, came off Atlanta reliever Oscar Villarreal in the second inning and gave the Reds a 5-0 lead.

With 587 homers, Griffey moved 15 behind Texas' Sammy Sosa for fifth place. Griffey gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first.

Cincinnati called up Livingston (2-0) from Triple-A Louisville, and the left-hander allowed eight hits, two runs and two walks in five innings. He struck out four.

With four singles, Livingston became the first Reds pitcher to go 4-for-4 since John Smiley, who had four RBIs while pitching Cincinnati to a 12-3 victory at Montreal on June 7, 1993.

Asked to compare his modest achievement or Griffey's, Livingston joked that the nine-time All-Star has already done plenty in his career.

``Probably my four hits,'' Livingston said, ``because it's something I can tell my grandkids. I told him congratulations. He didn't think it was a big deal, but I think it's awesome.''

In other games, it was: Chicago 3, San Francisco 2; Washington 4, Houston 3; Colorado 10, Pittsburgh 8; St. Louis 5, Florida 3; Milwaukee 4, Arizona 3; San Diego 5, New York 1; and Los Angeles 10, Philadelphia 3.

The Reds had lost three of four on their current 10-game road trip before Livingston, whom Cincinnati claimed off waivers from Seattle last December, made his third start of the season and first since winning 4-2 at Colorado on June 1.

``The most important thing is we got the win,'' Griffey said. ``That's something we haven't done a lot in the second half.''

The Braves had won four straight and 12 of 16, but Atlanta starter Kyle Davies (4-8) failed to record an out and faced just five batters.

After Griffey's RBI, Davies walked Adam Dunn with the bases loaded, and Braves manager Bobby Cox had seen enough. Davies allowed two hits and three walks. He threw just seven strikes in 21 pitches.

Davies, who missed a start last month with a strained oblique and spent nearly four months on the disabled list in 2006 after undergoing groin surgery, insists he's healthy.

``I'm frustrated,'' he said. ``I want to be consistent. I'm a whole lot better than that. It wasn't like I was all over the place. I missed in the same spot.''

The last Braves starter to leave a game without a disclosed injury and not get an out was Len Barker in 1985.

The Braves stranded 11 runners through eight innings, and Francoeur showed his frustration in the fifth by arguing a called third strike that earned him an ejection from home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez.

Atlanta also had errors from first baseman Scott Thorman and second baseman Yunel Escobar.

``That was a pretty awful exhibition of baseball all the way around,'' Chipper Jones said.

Dodger 10, Phillies 3

Jeff Kent and Matt Kemp hit three-run homers and host Los Angeles won its fifth straight.

Brad Penny (11-1) became the first Dodger to begin a season 11-1 since Doug Rau in 1977. The right-hander allowed a run and four hits over seven innings.

Jamie Moyer (7-8) gave up 10 runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Padres 5, Mets 1

David Wells (5-5) pitched six strong innings and Michael Barrett went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for host San Diego.

Mets right-hander Jorge Sosa (7-4) lost in his return from the disabled list. He had been out since July 1 with a strained left hamstring.

Cubs 3, Giants 2

Aramis Ramirez lined a go-ahead two-run double off the wall in left with two outs in the eighth inning, and host Chicago rallied past slumping San Francisco.

Rich Hill (6-6) won for the first time in more than a month.

The Giants bullpen spoiled a strong outing by rookie right-hander Tim Lincecum, who struck out eight in 6 1-3 innings. Kevin Correia (1-5) took the loss.

Nationals 4, Astros 3

Dmitri Young hit a go-ahead, three-run homer and Washington handed Houston its seventh straight road loss.

It was the NL-high 22nd homer allowed by Woody Williams (4-11) this season. It made a winner of reliever Saul Rivera (4-2), who pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings and stranded two inherited runners.

Cardinals 5, Marlins 3

Chris Duncan and Adam Kennedy homered for visiting St. Louis and Braden Looper (7-7) won for the first time in seven starts.

Byung-Hyun Kim (4-5) pitched six-plus innings for Florida, giving up five runs and eight hits. He walked seven and struck out four.

Brewers 4, Diamondbacks 3

Corey Hart and Ryan Braun homered and Dave Bush pitched six strong innings for host Milwaukee.

Bush (8-7) gave up three runs and five hits in six-plus innings, including a leadoff homer to Chris Young. Hart answered with a leadoff homer off Micah Owings (5-5) in the bottom of the first.

Rockies 10, Pirates 8

Matt Holliday drove in three runs for visiting Colorado, which almost let an eight-run lead slip away.

Starters John Van Benschoten (0-4) of Pittsburgh and Taylor Buchholz pitched a combined six innings and gave up 15 runs.

LaTroy Hawkins (1-4) was awarded the win by official scorer Tony Krizmanich. Hawkins ended an eighth-inning threat by getting Jason Bay to ground into a double play.