Griffey hits No. 613, 400th as a Mariner

SEATTLE - Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 613th career home run and 400th as a Mariner on Wednesday night in his second home game of his return season in Seattle.

The 39-year-old active home run leader, returning triumphantly to the team that spawned his superstardom as a teen in 1989, turned sharply on a 2-1 fastball from Los Angeles Angels starter Jered Weaver in the fifth inning for his second home run of the year.

Griffey gave his vintage, no-doubt reaction to the solo shot: a dropped bat at his feet and long stare. He watched the ball land three rows into the bleachers beyond right-center field to give Seattle a 3-2 lead, three pitches after Endy Chavez had tied the game with a solo home run.

Giddy fans scrambled for the souvenir ball from Griffey's home run.

The crowd of about 18,516 at Safeco Field _ the house that Junior built _ roared as he rounded the bases. The fans kept roaring, prompting Griffey's first curtain call since returning. He emerged from the dugout to tip his batting helmet to the fans, many of whom were wearing his No. 24 jersey in either blue or white.

Back inside the dugout, his teammates mobbed him.

Griffey's previous home run as a Mariner in Seattle came on Sept. 22, 1999, off Kansas City's Jay Witasick in what was his 48th and final home run of that season.

A few months later, the Mariners granted his wish and traded him to Cincinnati.

The Mariners' all-time leader in home runs is 91 ahead of former 1990s teammate Edgar Martinez.

Martinez was in the stadium Wednesday night. He received the Mariners' first Jackie Robinson Award as the "most valuable diverse business partner." The 46-year-old former designated hitter _ the role Griffey had again on Wednesday _ has a Seattle-area apparel company that was being recognized for their sound business practices and excellent service.

Griffey was one of 12 major leaguers to wear specially designed, Dodger-blue-and-silver cleats Wednesday that featured an engraving of Robinson's iconic image of sliding into home plate. Robinson's uniform No. 42 was stitched on each heel.

Torii Hunter of the Angels, who hit a two-run home run minutes before Griffey homered, was also wearing the shoes.

Griffey was believed to be the first major leaguer to wear 42 to honor Robinson in a game, 12 years ago with the Mariners. He just went up to the Mariners' equipment man weeks before the game and said he wanted to do it _ he didn't think to ask for the league's permission because no one had done it.

The league granted permission for others to honor Robinson after that.

"I knew the family. It was just my way of saying thank you. I had no idea it would become something like this," Griffey said before the game of all players wearing 42 on Jackie Robinson Day in the majors. "There's a lot of people who wouldn't be here (in the majors) if it wasn't for him."

A service of the Associated Press(AP)