By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer

John Vander Wal completed three days of thorough workouts Sunday to the satisfaction of himself and Reds officials.

Indications are the 38-year-old utility player will continue his rehabilitation from offseason knee surgery with Triple-A Louisville this week.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's game

"I'm ready, there's no question," said Vander Wal, who had surgery in January to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. "There were question marks about the health of the knee before, but right now there are none.

"Now it's in their court. I'm waiting to find out what they want to do."

The plan, according to Reds general manager Dan O'Brien, is for Vander Wal to re-join Louisville "sooner rather than later" this week. A minor-league roster move will be needed to make room for Vander Wal on Louisville's roster.

"We're going to try and use him in the same role with Louisville that he's going to be used in here," O'Brien said. "That means he'll play a little outfield, play some first base and obviously come off the bench."

Signed as a free agent to a one-year, $700,000 contract on Jan. 12, Vander Wal slipped on his driveway and tore his ACL less than three weeks later.

The on-field portion of his rehab began May 12 at extended spring training. Vander Wal was reinstated from Louisville's disabled list two weeks later, and in five games batted .250 until taking a leave to rest his knee.

"I believe the training staff knows where I'm at and the coaching staff knows where I'm at," Vander Wal said. "I'm willing to go down for four or five games. Before you come up and start playing, you need to get some at-bats. But it doesn't have to be to an extended thing."

POST-500: By going 0-for-4 against the Pirates Sunday, Ken Griffey Jr. extended his hitless streak to a career-high 24 at-bats.

Griffey has one hit - a single against the Mets on Tuesday - in his past 27 at-bats since hitting his 500th career home run June 20 in St. Louis.

"Everybody goes through slumps," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "It's not his first time and it probably won't be his last."

LIMITED LEFTY: Since the Reds acquired Gabe White from the Yankees on June 18 - adding a third left-hander to the team's bullpen - Phil Norton's workload has lightened considerably.

Sunday's 1/3-inning appearance was his second since allowing five runs in 2/3-inning against the Cardinals on June 19.

Norton retired the only batter he faced in the seventh Sunday, but allowed the first two batters in the eighth to reach base via a single and hit-by-pitch before being removed from the game. Both base runners scored.

Norton is 1-2 with a 15.00 ERA in his past seven appearances.

ODDS AND ENDS: With two solo home runs Sunday, left fielder Adam Dunn has four multi-homer games this season and eight in his career. ... Before the game, the Reds dedicated a bronze likeness of Hall of Fame catcher Ernie Lombardi outside the stadium gates. ... Reds players cast their ballots for the National League All-Star team over the weekend. ... In his 15th start of the season for Triple-A Louisville, pitcher Brandon Claussen (6-5) allowed five runs on seven hits in six innings Saturday.

REDS FACT: The Reds' 22-12 home record is still the best in the NL despite Sunday's loss.

Reds statistics

(Through Saturday's game)

BATTERS	AVG	OBA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	E
Casey	.352	.403	284	55	100	26	1	15	54	23	21	1	0	4
Castro	.324	.367	102	15	33	9	1	1	10	7	19	0	0	5
Larkin	.300	.353	210	38	63	9	2	4	29	19	25	2	0	1
Hummel	.296	.329	71	8	21	4	0	1	6	3	11	1	0	3
Cruz	.273	.351	66	10	18	4	0	2	16	8	21	0	0	0
Pena	.261	.303	115	12	30	3	1	7	20	6	45	2	0	2
Dunn	.260	.407	246	47	64	12	0	20	46	58	92	2	0	2
Jimenez	.254	.367	244	35	62	12	2	4	22	43	39	7	5	4
Freel	.250	.364	228	30	57	8	5	1	12	34	39	13	4	7
Griffey	.242	.344	264	44	64	15	0	19	54	40	60	1	0	0
LaRue	.230	.322	174	22	40	10	0	7	25	13	49	0	2	7
Larson	.225	.315	80	8	18	6	0	1	8	9	24	1	0	5
Kearns	.195	.327	87	10	17	2	1	3	13	16	30	1	1	1
Valentin	.170	.208	94	9	16	4	0	3	8	5	14	0	0	3
Clark	.160	.250	25	4	4	1	0	0	2	1	5	1	0	0
Team Totals	.252	.340	2493	356	627	130	13	88	335	304	600	32	12	49

PITCHERS	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
White	0	0	0.00	4	0	0	4.1	3	0	0	0	0	4
Graves	1	3	3.19	42	0	29	42.1	42	20	15	9	5	26
Matthews	2	1	3.38	19	0	0	16.0	10	7	6	4	7	6
Wilson	7	1	3.54	14	14	0	89.0	93	38	35	10	25	57
Jones	5	2	3.60	38	0	1	45.0	34	19	18	3	19	31
Riedling	4	1	3.79	35	0	0	40.1	36	20	17	3	20	25
Van Poppel	3	2	4.60	15	9	0	62.2	69	32	32	6	12	35
Harang	4	2	5.01	12	12	0	64.2	83	37	36	7	25	51
Lidle	5	5	5.05	16	16	0	103.1	109	59	58	14	24	64
Acevedo	4	6	5.30	15	15	0	86.2	95	52	51	18	18	68
Norton	1	2	5.79	31	0	0	28.0	32	21	18	3	17	17
Team Totals	41	33	4.78	74	74	30	657.2	712	376	349	93	226	439