Article Launched: 08/20/2008 12:33:20 PM PDTCHICAGO—White Sox slugger Ken Griffey Jr. hit career homer No. 609 against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, tying Sammy Sosa for fifth on the career list with a two-run shot against his former team.
Griffey connected against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey in the second inning for his first homer since Chicago acquired him from Cincinnati on July 31. The drive made it 8-0.
Griffey entered just 9-for-43 with four RBIs and no extra-base hits for the White Sox.
Griffey spent his first 11 seasons with the Mariners, hitting .299 with 398 homers and 1,152 RBIs from 1989-99, before being traded to Cincinnati. He was batting .245 with 15 homers and 53 RBIs when the White Sox acquired him for pitcher Nick Masset and infielder Danny Richar.
(Lil' hat tip to JCH. And props to media.signonsandiego.com for the nice pic of #17.)
