Griffey hits 587th homer to lead Reds

Who needs Ken Griffey Jr. when you have the great Bobby Livingston?

“That’s no fun,” Griffey said with a big grin. “It just takes me out of my pinch-hitting role. They’ll call on him now.”

Griffey passed Frank Robinson for sixth place on the career home run list, and Livingston, a pitcher called up by Cincinnati before the game, was four for four and drove in a run in the Reds’ 10-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

Griffey’s 24th homer of the season, a three-run shot to right field, came against reliever Oscar Villarreal in the second inning and gave the Reds a 5-0 lead.

“I have nothing but accolades for him,” interim Reds Manager Pete Mackanin said. “His home run was pretty special.”

With 587 homers, Griffey moved 15 behind Texas’ Sammy Sosa for fifth place. Griffey gave Cincinnati a 1-0 lead with a run-scoring single in the first inning.

Cincinnati called up Livingston (2-0) from triple-A Louisville, and the left-hander gave up eight hits, two runs and two walks in five innings. He struck out four.

“My changeup was working and my sinker,” Livingston said. “I made some pitches when I needed to.”

All of Livingston’s hits were singles, including the one in the third that made it 6-0.

The Braves stranded 11 runners through eight innings.