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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

M’S Beat Texas, Catch Falling Angels Griffey’s Bat, Glove Key 11-3 Seattle Win

Larry Larue Tacoma News Tribune

Wires attached to his left wrist, electricity pulsing through his forearm, Ken Griffey Jr. sat in a near-empty Seattle clubhouse late Wednesday afternoon and watched baseball scores flash by on a television screen.

One caught his attention: Oakland 9, California 6.

“Damn,” Griffey said. “We’re gonna be tied for first place by the end of the night.”

Nice call.

Nice game.

Combining their 11-3 victory over the Texas Rangers with that seventh consecutive loss by the Angels, the Seattle Mariners forged a first-place tie atop the American League West with nine games left to the 1995 season.

First place in the A.L. West? First place in the A.L. wild card race? Heady stuff for a team that has never known a significant September - let alone the wonders of baseball in October.

Now, 135 games into Seattle’s 19th season, it has come down to this - a three-team race for two playoff berths between the Mariners, Angels and Yankees, three teams separated in the standings by one game.

And Lou Piniella still won’t mention the California Angels by name.

“We see them next Tuesday,” he insisted. “I’m more worried about Oakland.”

Winning for the seventh time in eight games, the Mariners pushed Texas a distant four games back in both races and did it convincingly, driving a Kingdome crowd of 26,524 to chant ‘Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!’ before the game reached the third inning.

Sweep they did, behind veteran Luis Sojo’s career-best six RBIs, behind another strong performance by Andy Benes (6-1), helped by Jeff Nelson striking out the side in the ninth inning - with the bases loaded.

The Mariners also got another strong game from a man Seattle has missed most of the year.

Griffey, the 25-year-old superstar who entered the game batting .250, hammered a two-run home run in the first inning - his 14th of the season and the 100th of his career in the Kingdome - and that might not have been his most dramatic moment.

With Seattle coasting in the sixth inning, ahead 10-1, Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez hit a long fly ball to left center field that looked like his 26th home run of the year.

Against most outfielders, it would have been. Griffey sprinted to the warning track, did a quick two-step for timing and launched himself into the fence - catching the ball with his glove hand extended fully over the wall.

And he did it with his father, Ken Griffey Sr., watching from the stands.

“It’s about time he did something,” Senior joked. “Every time I’ve seen his sorry little butt this month he’s gone 0 for 5.”

On a night when the Mariners thrust themselves squarely into the first real pennant race in franchise history - pounding out a season-high 20 hits - it was as if Griffey had put his personal stamp on the victory.

Nobody wants to be part of this more than Junior,” teammate Jay Buhner said. “That’s why he’s playing. It’s not ego; he wants to win. He wants to be a part of this as much or more as anybody on the team. When you’ve been through the tough times together, you want in on the good times.”