Griffey barely misses homer No. 600

PHILADELPHIA (TICKER) —Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. barely missed joining baseball’s 600-homer club on two separate occasions during Thursday’s 5-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Attempting to become the sixth player in baseball history with 600 career homers, Griffey returned to the starting lineup Thursday after missing the previous three games with “general soreness.”

Griffey, who batted third in the matinee contest, nearly belted No. 600 in the third inning, when he lined Cole Hamels’ offering to left-center field. But the ball short-hopped the wall, leaving Griffey with a double.

“I tried to make good solid contact (against Hamels),” Griffey said. “He’s been tough on everybody since he came up. You just try to get a pitch you can hit and hit it hard. I hit pretty good, (but) I didn’t hit them high enough.”

The 38-year-old Griffey made another homer bid in the ninth, when he belted Hamels’ fastball to deep center field. But Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino made a leaping catch before colliding into the wall.

“Growing up, I was always a really big fan (of Griffey),” Hamels said. “It was one of those things if I would have given up (his 600th home run), I just would have been on a really long list with a lot of people.

“I’m glad he missed by inches instead of it going 500 feet over the fence.”

The Reds’ next opponent is the Florida Marlins, who will send lefthander Andrew Miller to the mound Friday in the opener of a four-game series. Griffey has never faced the 23-year-old Miller.

Griffey belted his 599th career homer against the Atlanta Braves five days ago at Great American Ballpark.

Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa are the only players in baseball history to hit at least 600 career homers.