American League Roundup : Clemens Is a Little Lucky as He Runs Record to 13-0

Baseball fans around the country learned Saturday what American League fans have understood for some time: Roger Clemens may not be perfect, but he’s unbeatable.

NBC showcased the big right-hander in its game of the week at Boston, and Clemens responded by beating the Baltimore Orioles, 7-2, to become the seventh pitcher in major league history to start a season with 13 consecutive victories.

The last pitcher to win his first 13 was Ron Guidry of the New York Yankees in 1978, when he went on to post a 25-3 record. The American League record of 15 straight wins was set by Johnny Allen of Cleveland in 1937 and tied by Dave McNally of Baltimore in 1969. The major league record is 19 straight by Rube Marquard of the New York Giants in 1912.

Clemens, obviously not at his best, was fortunate to work out of a jam in the fourth and went on to hold the Orioles to six hits in eight innings before Bob Stanley finished up. Clemens struck out six to increase his league-leading total to 114.

A lucky break and an ensuing three-run home run by Dwight Evans gave Clemens a four-run cushion in the first inning and made his task easier. With two out and two on in the first against Ken Dixon, Don Baylor struck out. However, catcher Rick Dempsey, apparently expecting an inside pitch, couldn’t catch the sharply breaking outside pitch, and a run scored and Baylor was safe on first. Evans then hit one over the Green Monster in left field.

In the fourth, luck was again with the Red Sox. The Orioles had runners on first and third with nobody out. Eddie Murray drilled a ball toward left, but right at the shortstop. Cal Ripken followed with a single to drive in one run, and Larry Sheets also singled to fill the bases. But Clemens called on his 95-m.p.h. fastball to strike out Mike Young and get Juan Bonilla to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

“I threw well and I’m happy about my start,” said Clemens, making a comeback from shoulder surgery last Aug. 30. “Maybe some people weren’t impressed because I wasn’t overpowering, just because I didn’t strike out everybody. I’m not worried about any record, I just want to keep winning so we can stay on top.”

It was the seventh time that Clemens, who struck out a nine-inning record 20 Seattle Mariners April 29, had won after a Red Sox loss. The Orioles hammered Boston, 14-3, Friday night.

In his 14 starts this season, Clemens has gone at least through the eighth inning in all but two of them. On a cold night April 22, he departed with two out in the seventh, leading, 6-3. On May 20, after seven innings, the Red Sox were leading Minnesota, 17-5, and Clemens was given the rest of the night off.

“Clemens pitched well, and Dixon pitched just as well,” Oriole Manager Earl Weaver said after Saturday’s game. “Suppose they weren’t wild pitches and Dempsey gets in front of them. We’re 2-2 going into the ninth. If you’re going to beat him you have to do it with three runs.”

New York 4, Toronto 2--The Yankees seldom play a dull game. In this one at Toronto, they blew a lead in the ninth, and Ron Guidry, pitching his best game in more than a month, failed to win for the eighth start in a row.

Dave Righetti, who gave up a grand slam to George Bell in the ninth inning Friday night to send the game into extra innings, gave up a game-tying single to Willie Upshaw with one out in the ninth in this one. He became the winner, though, when Ken Griffey singled in one run and hot-hitting Mike Easler doubled in two more in the top of the 10th. On Friday night, Brian Fisher rescued Righetti and got the win.

Guidry, who last won May 10, gave up five hits in 7 innings but failed to end his career-record six-game losing streak.

Easler had three hits. He has raised his average from .238 to .333 and has hit safely in 30 of the last 35 games.

Chicago 7, Seattle 6--At Chicago, Carlton Fisk’s two-run single keyed a four-run fourth inning, and Bill Dawley pitched four perfect innings of relief to save Neil Allen’s fourth win without a loss.

Detroit 4, Milwaukee 3--Three walks loaded the bases in the top of the ninth at Milwaukee, and Lou Whitaker hit a sacrifice fly to give the Tigers the victory. Bill Campbell, in his first relief appearance in more than a month, gained the win and Willie Hernandez pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save.

Texas 3, Oakland 2--Charlie Hough pitched a three-hitter, struck out nine and survived home runs by Jose Canseco and Bruce Bochte to pitch the Rangers to their 10th consecutive win at home.

Hough (6-3) bounced back from Monday’s heartbreaking defeat to the Angels, when he lost a no-hitter and the game in the ninth inning.

Steve Buechele and Ruben Sierra hit consecutive-pitch home runs in the second inning.

Cleveland 7, Minnesota 5--The Indians held the Twins to two home runs at Minneapolis and won when Brett Butler and Tony Bernazard each drove in three runs.

One of the home runs was by Roy Smalley, his 12th. Smalley, a switch-hitter, has only two hits batting right-handed, and both have been home runs.

The Twins have 107 homers in 67 games.