Griffey joins the homer parade in Sox 15-3 win

Ken Griffey Jr. has hit more home runs than any active player in major-league baseball, but his big bat was quiet during his first three weeks with the White Sox.

"I never thought I was going to see him hit a home run as a manager," Ozzie Guillen said.

In 44 trips to the plate since being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in a July 31 trade, Griffey had 9 hits and all of them were singles.

The Sox are the most powerful offensive team in baseball, so Griffey's lack of pop was hardly noticed.

In Wednesday afternoon's 15-3 laugher over the Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field, Griffey finally joined the longball parade.

With one on and two out in the second inning, Griffey pounded a 2-2 pitch from Seattle knuckleballer R.A. Dickey over the right-field fence.

It was his first homer with his new team, and No. 609 overall. That puts Griffey in a tie with Sammy Sosa for fifth place in baseball history.

"It's weird," Griffey said. "I've watched Sammy throughout the years. Tying him, it's OK, I guess."

Griffey said he wasn't pressing to get his first home run for the White Sox, who hit 4 more on Wednesday and now lead the majors with 188.

"I don't really worry about that," Griffey said. "Everybody else does. I'm more concerned about getting hits and getting on base. You get hits, and home runs happen. But it is good to get the first one at home."

Home used to be Cincinnati and the last-place Reds. Needless to say, Griffey is enjoying his new digs and playing for a first-place team that has hit 4 or more home runs in a game for the sixth time in August, a franchise record.

"No, it's not," Griffey said when asked if the Sox' high-powered offense is a surprise. "I mean, everyone watches the news to see what happens. I knew what I was getting into when I came over here. You've got to do a little homework."

The offense has carried the White Sox to five straight wins. Imagine how scary the group will be if Griffey starts heating up.

"He's one guy who's going to help this lineup just with his presence," Guillen said. "If he starts swinging the bat, obviously it's going to be a dangerous lineup. Every time Junior's at the plate, he's dangerous. I think he can still swing the bat."

And so can the rest of the Sox, who have slugged 14 home runs in the last four games.

"I've never been on a team that has hit like this, been on this kind of stretch," said Alexei Ramirez, who hit a 3-run homer off Dickey in the first inning to get the blowout started. "But I'm not surprised by it. We have some great hitters on this team, and the spirits are very high and everyone is very prepared. So I'm not surprised we can accomplish something like this, but I've never been on a team that's been able to do that."

A.J. Pierzynski also hit a 3-run homer and Nick Swisher added a solo shot as the Sox completed a three-game sweep over the hapless Mariners.

"Our lineup is deep," Paul Konerko said. "Every guy can hit one out. And we have guys on the bench certain days that can hit one out. We just have to make sure that we approach the game like it's going to be a pitcher's duel and play that type of game. If it winds up being a slugfest, we feel like we can play that, too."

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