Griffey hits 609th home run against Seattle
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago White Sox slugger Ken Griffey Jr struck his 609th home run against the Seattle Mariners Wednesday to tie Sammy Sosa for fifth place in the all-time list.
The 38-year-old slammed a 2-2 pitch from RA Dickey with two outs in the second inning for his first homer since joining Chicago at the end of last month from the Cincinnati Reds.
His drive over the right-field wall at U.S. Cellular Field gave the White Sox a commanding 8-0 lead before they went on to crush Seattle 15-3.
Chicago, the American League Central leaders, have won their last five games while struggling Seattle have lost nine of their last 10.
"Pretty much everyone knows that growing up in a household where the dad is a professional baseball player, the last thing you talk about is baseball," Griffey told reporters of his father, who also played for the Reds.
"So you understand history, but you don't dwell on it because the father-and-son relationship is more important than the numbers.
"I don't really worry about that. Everybody else does. I'm more concerned about getting hits and getting on base. You get hits and home runs happen.
FIRST ONE
"But it is good to get the first one at home," added the 13-times All-Star outfielder, who went into the game just 9-for-43 with four RBIs and no extra-base hits for the White Sox.
"He's been swinging the bat well," Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko said.
"He's been hitting the ball hard, but hitting them on a line. We don't need to worry about him -- he's hit enough of them to prove he can do it."
Griffey, who spent his first 11 seasons with the Mariners before joining the Reds in 2000, became the sixth major league player to hit 600 home runs in June.
Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660) and Sosa (609) are the only other players to reach the milestone.
One of baseball's most feared sluggers until injuries hampered his career, Griffey reached 599 on May 31 and needed 216 at-bats to finally hit his 600th in the last game of an eight-game road trip for Cincinnati.
His 400th and 500th career home runs also came on the road.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)
