Ken Griffey Jr. steps on the plate after his 4th-inning grand slam off ex-Red Gabe White. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        DENVER — Stop worrying about Ken Griffey Jr.

        The All-Century Team center fielder displayed all-world power Tuesday night, clobbering a fourth-inning grand slam off former teammate Gabe White to highlight the Reds' 10-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

        Griffey's .182 batting average (6-for-33) still reflects his 0-for-10 start. But he also has driven in runs in seven consecutive games while homering in each of Cincinnati's last three games. He has 13 RBI, which could lead the National League pending results of Tuesday's other games.

        “I'm just swinging at better pitches,” said Griffey, who was 2-for-4 with five RBI.

        Providing a suitable Coors Field encore to his 400th career homer Monday proved as easy for Griffey as his sweet swing. Like his 400th homer, which made him the youngest player to reach that level, Griffey's grand slam also reverberated in history. It was the 13th of his career, tying him for 10th on the all-time list.

Dmitri Young hits a 3-run HR in the third. | ZOOM |

        Dmitri Young also sparkled offensively for the Reds (4-4), stroking a three-run, third-inning homer among his four hits. That equaled a career best he has reached five times.

        Hal Morris also launched a pinch-hit homer in the eighth for his first longball since April 29, 1998, and only his third since the start of the 1997 season.

        Reds starter Ron Villone (2-0) matched a club season-high by lasting seven innings, surrendering just two runs and four hits. Villone happened to be among the best pitchers in either league away from home last year, ranking sixth with a 2.99 road ERA. Said Reds manager Jack McKeon, “It all comes down to pitching, no matter how you look at it, right?”

        Right. But it certainly helps when a slugger such as Griffey, whose first-inning sacrifice fly gave him five RBI, is at his prodigious best.

        D.T. Cromer, receiving his first major-league start, singled to lead off the fourth off Rockies starter Brian Bohanon (0-1). After Villone popped up a sacrifice-bunt attempt, Chris Stynes blooped a single to right field and Barry Larkin singled sharply to left to load the bases for Griffey.

Young stands at 2B after a second-inning double. | ZOOM |

        That prompted Colorado manager Buddy Bell to replace Bohanon with White, acquired last Friday from Cincinnati for right-hander Manny Aybar. The Rockies figured that White, a left-hander, would strengthen their bullpen by being able to neutralize left-handed hitters such as Griffey. The Rockies might have failed to notice that lefties actually outhit righties against White last year, .365 to .244.

        White's first pitch was a good one, an inside fastball that Griffey took for a strike.

        White's next pitch, an 88-mph fastball, vanished rapidly into the second deck in right-center field, an estimated 466 feet from home plate.

        “I knew it was going right down the middle,” White said of his fateful pitch. “I didn't know it was going out of the (expletive) park.”

Griffey hits an RBI sac fly in the first. | ZOOM |

        Considering how Griffey might fare if he played in this hitter's haven more frequently boggles the mind. He owns a lifetime .370 Coors Field average (10-for-27) with four homers and 13 RBI.

        Griffey helped the Reds, who scored in each of the first four innings, establish immediate control.

        Stynes doubled to open the game, moved to second on Larkin's sacrifice bunt and scored on Griffey's fly to center.

        The Reds added a run in the second inning as Young doubled leading off and moved to third on Eddie Taubensee's groundout. After Aaron Boone grounded out and Cromer drew an intentional walk, Villone poked a single to left-center on an 0-2 pitch, an egregious sin by Bohanon. It was the first career RBI for Villone, who came to the plate with an .064 career average (3-for-47).

        “I get lucky once in a while,” Villone said. “I just try to put the ball in play. Fortunately enough, he (Bohanon) hung one.”

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