BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Clemens Aching Shoulder Gives White Sox Pain

Roger Clemens is hurting, but he has found a way to turn the pain around.

Clemens scattered nine hits Monday night, pitching his second consecutive shutout as the Boston Red Sox downed the Chicago White Sox, 3-0, at Boston.

“I’m throwing zeroes, but I’ve been fortunate,� Clemens said. “I’m just praying I can work myself through this. I’ve had to quit a little throwing on the side, but I’m making good pitches. Maybe I’m more of a pitcher now.

“I’ve been pretty upset the last couple of weeks since word got out. I don’t want anyone to know when I’m hurting. Once word gets out other teams have an advantage on me. And I don’t like that.�

Taking a regular turn despite occasional right shouler pain that “feels like a cramp in the back of the leg,� Clemens (14-5) struck out eight and didn’t issue a walk in pitching the 23rd shutout of his career.

Clemens needed 125 pitches to extend his scoreless streak to 23 innings, continually pitching out of trouble, especially in the first few innings.

The Red Sox remained one game behind Toronto in the AL East, and Chicago fell three games behind Oakland in the AL West.

Wade Boggs had two doubles, driving in one run and scoring one, and Carlos Quintana hit a solo homer, his seventh, in helping Clemens beat Chicago’s Adam Peterson (1-3).

Oakland 6, Seattle 2--Reliever Mike Jackson walked Dave Henderson to force in the go-ahead run and the Athletics scored four times with two out in the seventh to beat the Mariners at Oakland.

Seattle starter Randy Johnson (9-7) lost his fourth consecutive start.

Terry Steinbach followed the walk to Henderson with a two-run single and Felix Jose singled home another run.

Rick Honeycutt (2-2), the third of four Oakland pitchers, got the victory with relief help from Dennis Eckersley, who pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 32nd save.

Toronto 9, Baltimore 2--Kelly Gruber had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Todd Stottlemyre allowed six hits over six innings to snap a four-game losing streak as the Blue Jays routed the Orioles at Baltimore.

George Bell hit the 200th home run of his career and Pat Borders added a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who had 12 hits, including three by Mookie Wilson.

Texas 3, Milwaukee 1--Bobby Witt allowed four hits in seven innings for his sixth consecutive victory as the Rangers beat the Brewers at Milwaukee.

Witt (9-8), who is 5-0 in July, struck out five and walked three.

Jeff Kunkel, a .147 hitter, broke a 1-1 tie with his first home run since last September a blast off Bill Krueger (5-6).

Kansas City 7, Cleveland 6--Gerald Perry homered to start a four-run fourth inning and Andy McGaffigan won his second consecutive start as the Royals beat the Indians at Cleveland.

McGaffigan (2-0) gave up one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Houston 6, San Francisco 1--Danny Darwin pitched eight strong innings and the Astros scored five runs in the eighth with the help of two errors to beat the Giants at San Francisco.

Houston broke a 1-1 tie when right fielder Mike Kingery misplayed Rafael Ramirez’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly to score the first run.

Pinch-hitter Carl Nichols singled home two runs and the final two came home when Matt Williams misplayed a routine grounder by Bill Doran.

Atlanta 4, San Diego 3--Oddibe McDowell hit a leadoff homer in the 11th inning and the Braves beat the Padres at San Diego to snap a five-game losing streak.

Reliever Dwayne Henry (2-1) got the win with relief from Tony Castillo.