Griffey Homers in Sixth Game in Row, Two Short of Major League Record

Ken Griffey Jr. homered for the sixth consecutive game Sunday, a Seattle Mariner record, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Indians from winning the game, 11-9, at Cleveland.

Griffey is two away from the major league record of eight consecutive games with a home run, set by Pittsburgh’s Dale Long in 1956 and tied by the New York Yankees’ Don Mattingly in 1987.

“Griffey’s hit six home runs in six days,” Mariner Manager Lou Piniella said. “It would take me six months to hit that many--one a month.”

Griffey’s 28 homers--which tied him with the Indians’ Albert Belle, who two of his own Sunday, for the league lead--are a career high. He hit 27 last year. “They always say home runs come in streaks,” Griffey said. “I pay no attention. I just go up there and hit, use all the ballpark as much as I can.”