By RICK GANO

AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO - Hey, man - as Dusty Baker likes to say - the Reds were relieved to get out of Wrigley Field with a victory and end a five-game losing streak.

"It's been a tough five days. We needed this game badly," Baker said Thursday after Joey Votto and Ken Griffey Jr. led Cincinnati over the Chicago Cubs 9-2.

Baker's return to Chicago, where he managed the Cubs from 2003-06, started with two losses, right after the Reds had been swept three games in Pittsburgh.

"We didn't want to have back-to-back sweeps. Five in a row felt like it was a month," Baker said.

Votto doubled with the bases loaded, homered, drove in five runs and made a nice defensive play, while Griffey hit his 596th career homer.

"The most important thing is the win. The home run is irrelevant. I hit one the other day and what happened? We lost," said Griffey, who also homered in Tuesday's series opener.

He's not even thinking about No. 600 or where he might hit it. But would he like to do it in Cincinnati?

"Why is that such a big deal? Do you think I will?" he said. "100 was at home, 200 was in Boston, 300 was in Cleveland, 400 was in Colorado and 500 was St. Louis. What do you think the odds are going to be?"