Ken Griffey Jr. is 4-for-31. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        Reds manager Bob Boone thought about giving left-handed hitters Ken Griffey Jr. and Sean Casey the night off Friday, with left-hander C.C. Sabathia pitching for the Cleveland Indians.

        “But (Sabathia) gives up a lot of hits to left-handers,” Boone said.

        Left-handers were hitting .300 off Sabathia entering Friday. Right-handers were hitting .230.

        Griffey is struggling. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI single Friday, but entered the game with three hits in his previous 28 at-bats. He hasn't hit a home run since June 30.

        His father, Ken Sr., thinks the hamstring injury that kept Junior out for nearly two months is still affecting him.

        “I know it is,” he said. “Balance is the biggest thing. He's still having problems. He feels good enough to play, but he's still feeling it.”

        NICE GESTURE: Wilton Guerrero and Jose Acevedo filled a huge box with 30 or 40 pairs of Nikes Thursday.

        “It goes to the kids in the Dominican,” Acevedo said. “Guerrero has a contract with Nike. They send them to him.”

        LONG SHOT: Wily Mo Pena hit his 16th home run in Single-A Dayton's 7-5 victory over Burlington. Pena's two-run shot went over the batter's eye in center — an estimated 478 feet, making it the longest home run in Fifth Third Field history.

        UP NEXT: Right-hander Jim Brower (4-6, 3.62 ERA) returns to the starting rotation against his former teammates when he faces former Reds righty Dave Burba (8-6, 6.45).

Bonds Watch: No homers
       

Indians 5, Reds 1 Rijo rushing Reds' timetable Injured Larkin nowhere near returning Hamstring still bothering Griffey Indians' rookie pitcher has it all over Reds' Brower happy to face former team Reds box, runs

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