By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MILWAUKEE - The days of Cincinnati's four-man rotation are about over. Reds manager Bob Boone said Saturday that his plans are to return to the standard five-man starting rotation when the second half of the season begins Thursday.

Just who will be added to the list of Danny Graves, Paul Wilson, Ryan Dempster and Jimmy Haynes is not yet known.

"You could (go to the bullpen). You could go to the minor leagues. Or you could make a deal," Boone said. "Those are the three ways of getting somebody. I know Jim (Bowden, Reds general manager) has been burning the wires. There's a lot of activity, but you just never know."

After Saturday's game, Reds starters are 3-7 with a 6.27 ERA in the 12 games since going to a four-man rotation.

"I think we need to do it," Boone said. "I don't think we need the distraction of somebody saying, "Gee, did he pitch bad because of it?' "

ALL QUIET: He shares the major-league record for home runs in consecutive games, so Ken Griffey Jr. wasn't too excited about his latest stretch of longball success.

The Reds center fielder had homered in four consecutive games entering Saturday.

"It's just one of those things that happens," said Griffey, whose father, Ken Sr., threw to him in the batting cages before the game. "(People) look at it as a home run. I look at it as a hit."

In the top of the ninth inning Saturday, he homered again, tying the club record for consecutive homers set by Johnny Bench in 1972.

TRAVELING MEN: Roommates and teammates at the University of Southern California, friends Aaron Boone and Geoff Jenkins will drive to Chicago following today's game.

Boone, the Reds' second baseman, was selected as a reserve on the National League All-Star team. Jenkins, the Brewers' left fielder, was selected to the NL team via an online poll last week.

"It was pretty simple," Jenkins said. "It's like, 'Hey since you're playing us, why not?' It's going to be awesome."

MINOR MATTERS: Pitcher Todd Van Poppel, who was designated for assignment Thursday, accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville.

The right-hander had a 13.50 ERA over 5 1/3 innings in four appearances with the Reds.

Second-round draft pick Thomas Pauly got his first professional victory Friday. He allowed one run on two hits over six innings for Single-A Dayton.

ODDS AND ENDS: Wilson will be available out of the bullpen today. The right-hander threw 41 pitches in his shortest career start Thursday. . . . Eric Young's leadoff homer in the first inning was the sixth allowed by a Reds starter this season.

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E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com