Slumping Sandberg Ties Morgan’s Record

The way Ryne Sandberg had been swinging the bat, tying the major-league record for home runs by a second baseman was the last thing on his mind when he stepped into the batter’s box in the eighth inning Friday.

“I was just trying to get a hit,” he said. “That came first.”

Nonetheless, Sandberg tied Joe Morgan’s record of 266 career homers with a two-run shot off Pittsburgh’s Jeff Granger in Chicago’s 11-1 win.

It was one of few highlights this spring for Sandberg, who is hitting .163 and missed six games after getting hit in the head by Brant Brown’s foul ball on April 13.

“I’m just concentrating on getting comfortable at the plate,” he said.

The Spokane native shrugged off the record. “So much has been said about it since last year. It means something.”