ST. LOUIS -- Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 564th career home run on Tuesday night, breaking a tie with Reggie Jackson for 10th place on the career list.
Griffey's first homer of the season was a two-run fifth-inning shot off Kip Wells that gave the Cincinnati Reds a 5-1 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. Griffey did not start the previous four games because of diverticulitis, an inflammation of the colon diagnosed about six months ago.
Griffey also missed most of the spring schedule while recovering from a broken left hand sustained in December.
Griffey also hit his 500th career homer in St. Louis in 2004.