By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Reds were without Ken Griffey Jr. in their starting lineup for their game with Milwaukee Tuesday at Great American Ball Park.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

The center fielder was available to pinch hit and is day-to-day with a tight right hamstring.

"It's getting better," Griffey said. "We'll come here (Wednesday) and it will be a new day."

Griffey left Monday's game against the Astros in the third inning after feeling a twinge in the hamstring while chasing a fly ball.

"It just tightened up and we didn't want to take a chance of doing anything else," he said. "Hopefully that's it."

Wily Mo Pena started in Griffey's place Tuesday. First baseman Sean Casey moved from fourth to third in the batting order.

Griffey, 34, missed 25 games in 2002 after tearing his right hamstring. During spring training in 2001, Griffey tore his left hamstring while rounding third base and did not make his first start of that season until the Reds' 65th game.

He was hitting .228 with three home runs and 14 RBI through Monday and had not homered in his previous 15 games and 64 at-bats.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it is Griffey's longest home run drought since June 7-July 27, 2001.