--RF Ken Griffey Jr. needs one homer to have 200 for his career with the Reds. When that happens, he will become only the fourth player in major-league history to hit 300 with one team and 200 with another. The other three are Mark McGwire (363 with Oakland, 220 with St. Louis), Rafael Palmeiro (321 with Texas, 223 with Baltimore), Jimmie Foxx (302 with the Philadelphia A's, 222 with Boston). Griffey hit 398 for Seattle and has 199 with the Reds.
--RHP Matt Belisle, summoned off the DL to make a start last week, was not good, but he gets a second chance Saturday when he starts against the Giants in San Francisco, a team against which he is 0-1 with a save and a 6.60 ERA in eight appearances, but only two starts. --3B Edwin Encarnacion took a career-best 14-game hitting streak into Friday's game in San Francisco (20-53, .377, five homers) and leads the team in homers with six. Manager Dusty Baker batted him cleanup for the first time this season, but the streak ended with a 0-for-3.
--C Paul Bako has a four-game hitting streak and RBIs in each of those four games, but manager Dusty Baker has elected to start C David Ross in three of the last four games since he came off the DL.
--LF Adam Dunn is only hitting .209 but is tied with Albert Pujols for the NL lead in walks with 22 and has walked in 14 of his 23 games.
BY THE NUMBERS: 17 -- Home runs hit by the Reds in their first 18 games, as compared to 26 by the opposition.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Why do songs always want God to bless Texas? Why not Ohio? It feels good, though, to laugh about something." -- Manager Dusty Baker after the Reds lost seven of eight.
