Baseball Notes | Griffey swats 567th home run

Ken Griffey Jr.

hit his 567th home run last night, a shot off the Colorado Rockies'

Jason Hirsch

that moved the Cincinnati Red closer to ninth place on the career list. He is two behind

Rafael Palmeiro

.

The Oakland Athletics placed designated hitter Mike Piazza on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained shoulder that resulted from his collision with Boston's Mike Lowell two days ago.

Brian McCann returned to the Atlanta Braves' lineup after sitting out a game with a sore hand, and, in an astonishing repeat, was called for catcher's interference in the top of the second - the same play that forced him out of a game against the Phillies on Tuesday night with a bruised ring finger on his left hand.

Baltimore Orioles lefthander Adam Loewen will be sidelined for much of the season with a stress fracture in his pitching elbow, a rare injury that further decimates a starting rotation already in disarray. Loewen was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

New York Yankees manager Joe Torre raised the possibility that Carl Pavano would need surgery, and general manager Brian Cashman conceded that the oft-injured pitcher had been a bust since signing a four-year, $39.95 million contract. Pavano has missed most of the last two seasons because of shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and rib injuries.

- Inquirer wire services