Home Run By Griffey Spurs M’S Seattle Gains Ground On Anaheim After Bullpen Shuts Down Chicago

If Ken Griffey Jr. gets hot in August, the Anaheim Angels can forget it.

That’s what Jeff Fassero of the Seattle Mariners was saying Thursday night after Griffey, who had only three homers in July, hit his second homer of August to help the Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2.

“We need him to get as hot as he was in April and May,” Fassero said. “I think that will carry us right into the playoffs for sure.”

“It’s good to see Junior stroke the ball well like he did tonight,” manager Lou Piniella said. “I think he’s going to start hitting the ball a little better, and it will help out a lot.”

Griffey doesn’t like to talk about his home runs.

“No comment, no comment,” he said as he left the Seattle dressing room.

Griffey’s 34th homer, a solo shot in the fifth inning that hit off the facade of the second deck in right field, gave Seattle a 3-0 lead and left Griffey three behind Tino Martinez for the league lead.

Mike Blowers added a two-run homer as the Mariners won for the fourth time in five games and moved within a half-game of the idle, first-place Angels in the A.L. West. The Mariners had only three hits.

“Usually in July and August is when I play my best baseball,” said Blowers, who is platooning against left-handers with Paul Sorrento. “This is definitely a role I’ve had to adjust to this year. I think early on, I struggled with it.”

Fassero (11-6) pitched 7-1/3 innings, giving up a run on four hits and four walks. He lost a bid for a shutout in the sixth when Frank Thomas belted his 26th homer.

“It’s tough to pitch to Frank Thomas and Albert Belle back to back,” Fassero said. “You’ve got to make quality pitches. Those guys are extremely strong. I found that out tonight.”

Mike Timlin replaced Fassero with one out in the top of the eighth and Norm Charlton and Heathcliff Slocomb got the final three outs.