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(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies turn to ace Cole Hamels in hopes of ending a two-game losing streak to the Cincinnati Reds as the two teams play the last of four straight meetings this afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

After posting an 8-4 victory over the Reds on Friday, Philadelphia dropped the next two tests of this series, including yesterday's 8-2 setback. Jeff Keppinger went 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored to lead an impressive offensive performance by Cincinnati.

Ken Griffey Jr. gave the Reds an early lead with a two-run homer off Phillies starter Brett Myers in the first inning, the future Hall of Famer's first of the season and 594th of his illustrious career. Brandon Phillips added three hits to back an outstanding National League debut for Cincinnati pitcher Edinson Volquez.

Volquez, acquired from the Texas Rangers in a trade for troubled outfielder Josh Hamilton over the winter, allowed just one run and struck out a career- high eight batters over 5 1/3 innings in his first start of 2008.

Myers struggled on the hill for the Phillies, as the right-hander served up both Griffey and Keppingers homers and surrendered four runs on eight hits while lasting only five innings.

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell each collected two hits for Philadelphia, with Burrell singling home Utley in the eighth inning to account for the team's final run.

The defending National East champion Phillies, off to a disappointing 2-4 start, will attempt to salvage a series split behind Hamels. The talented left-hander was brilliant in his first start of the year, but received no offensive support and wound up on the short end of a 1-0 decision against Washington on Wednesday. Philadelphia managed just one hit against Tim Redding and two Nationals relievers in that game.

Hamels yielded just five hits and two walks while striking out six in an eight-inning stint. The 2007 NL All-Stars only mistake came in the sixth frame, when he gave up a solo home run to Ryan Zimmerman that provided the winning margin.

The 24-year-old has pitched twice previously at Great American Ball Park and produced memorable results each time. Hamels made his major league debut in Cincinnati on May 12, 2006 and gave up just one hit over five shutout innings, although he wound up with a no decision. He returned to the city last April and racked up a career-high 15 strikeouts in a dominating complete-game effort to lead the Phils to a 4-1 win.

Hamels will be opposed this afternoon by Bronson Arroyo, who comes off a decent first start of the season. The quirky right-hander allowed four runs -- two earned -- and four hits while fanning five in a five-inning no decision Wednesday against Arizona. He had been on the hook for a loss before the Reds rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a 6-5 win.

Arroyo has faced Philadelphia six times, five of which have been starts, but is just 1-3 with a 4.34 ERA in those matchups. The ninth-year veteran did not pitch against the Phillies last season.

Philadelphia won four of six matchups with the Reds last season and is 13-9 in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign.