Manager Dusty Baker has an interesting theory about why his Cincinnati Reds are 19-10 at home and 11-24 on the road.

"People keep asking, man, and I don't know, I really don't know," Baker said. "Some of it, maybe, is that our team is built around the home run. That's part of it, possibly. Parks on the road aren't as conducive to home runs compared to our park. Only Philly (Citizens Bank Park) compares to our park in giving up home runs."

The Reds return home Tuesday with a losing record in 20 of their last 21 trips, but what awaits them isn't pleasant -- three with St. Louis, three with Boston, three with Los Angeles.

Then comes another rugged road assignment -- an interleague trip with three games each in New York (against the Yankees), Toronto and Cleveland.

Perhaps the team will play looser now that Ken Griffey Jr. has become the sixth player in history to hit 600 home runs. Now that the Reds aren't holding their collective breath waiting for that milestone, a more relaxed squad may not squeeze their bats quite as tightly away from home.

REDS 9, MARLINS 4: Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th career home run in the first inning, a two-run blast off Mark Hendrickson. It was Edinson Volquez's ninth victory, although he gave up three earned runs, the first time he has given up more than two earned runs this year in his 13th start. Paul Bako hit two homers and drove in five runs.

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