Strange Gets To Make His Contribution

Doug Strange threw one of the best moments of his career at the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, two innings before Ken Griffey Jr. threw a scare into his manager, Lou Piniella.

Strange, a 31-year-old utility infielder, hit the second pinch-hit home run of his career - a two-run, two-out bolt in the ninth inning that sent the Seattle Mariners into extra innings against the team for whom he played a year earlier.

“It was sweeter, personally, because it came against the Rangers,” Strange said, “and it probably meant more overall because of the position the team is in. Everybody wants to be part of what’s going on.”

Strange’s homer tied the game at 4, and there it stayed until the 11th inning, when Strange and rookie Darren Bragg reached base with singles. On the Mariners bench, Piniella looked to the on-deck circle for the comforting sight of Griffey.

And Griffey wasn’t there.

Nor was he on the bench.

Nor was he in the clubhouse.

“I didn’t know where the hell he was, but I wasn’t about to pinch-hit for him,” Piniella said.

Griffey was in the bathroom.

“Hey, I’d had to hold it an extra two innings,” he said.

“I wanted to go home, so we waited,” Piniella said. “That’s what I told him when he came out off the can - ‘I want to go home, son.”’

Griffey singled. Strange scored. Piniella went home.

Pop-ups

Those playoff ticket strips the Mariners put on sale Wednesday sold at a rate of 10,000 in the first 8 hours, 12,000 total for the day. More than 23,500 tickets remain, available through Ticketmaster only at this stage - by telephone.

Add Griffey: Junior spent time before the game Wednesday with Bradley Chandler, a 10-year-old Virginia boy brought to Seattle by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Washington… . Strange, batting .276 in 70 games this season, is 10 for 29 as a pinchhitter with seven RBIs.

The Mariners have caught on beyond Seattle - the team’s merchandise has moved into the top 10 in sales, according to Major League Properties. Although the Yankees remain baseball’s top seller, the Mariners rank sixth. … Luis Sojo has hit safely in 17 of the last 18 games.