Clemens Makes Title Pitch : AL East: Red Sox ace returns after 25 days to throw six shutout innings. Brunansky hits three home runs in victory over Blue Jays.

By ROSS NEWHAN

Sept. 30, 1990 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

BOSTON — There proved to be nothing wrong with Roger Clemens’ ailing biceps Saturday--nor with the sometimes dormant muscle of Tom Brunansky.

Sidelined 25 days by a tendinitis condition viewed as a threat to his season and career, Clemens returned to pitch six shutout innings of a 7-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays that gave the Boston Red Sox a two-game lead in the American League East with four to play.

Bill Fischer, the Boston pitching coach, shook his head later and said:

“If Roger Clemens told me he could walk on water, I’d believe him. There’s probably nothing he can’t do, including driving a tank or flying a plane.

“This was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. He acted like he pitched just five days ago.

“I mean, I’ll never be surprised by anything he does after today. I’m just surprised he didn’t pitch a no-hitter.”

Registering as high as 91 miles per hour on the speed gun, Clemens struck out five, walked two and gave up four hits in improving his record to 21-6 and lowering his earned-run average to a major league best 1.93.

As the faithful held their breath throughout New England, and a crowd of 35,444 at Fenway Park watched anxiously, Clemens made 93 pitches in a display of heart, complemented by the flexing of Brunansky’s muscle.

The Boston right fielder grounded out in the first inning, then hit a solo home run off Todd Stottlemyre in the fifth, a three-run homer off Duane Ward in the sixth and a solo homer off Rich Luecken in the eighth, becoming the first Red Sox player to hit three home runs in a game since Jim Rice on Aug. 29, 1983.

“I’m not an individualist, but it’s every player’s dream to produce like this in a situation like this,” Brunansky said.

Coupled with his two-run homer of Friday night, he has driven in seven runs in this showdown series, enhancing his potential free agency and putting his team on the verge of a sweep.

It is never easy for the Red Sox, of course, and never over in the launching pad that is Fenway Park. Thus, what was a 7-0 Boston laugher going into the ninth inning, ultimately required the services of relief ace Jeff Reardon.

Dennis Lamp, who pitched a harmless seventh and eighth for the Red Sox, allowed five hits and five runs with two out in the ninth, the final four runs coming on a grand slam by Kelly Gruber, who has 31 homers, 117 runs batted in and a sore back from carrying the Blue Jays in September.

Reardon came on to get Fred McGriff to pop up for the last out, giving the Red Sox a chance to clinch a tie for the division title today. At worst, Boston will have a one-game lead heading into a three- game series at Fenway with the Chicago White Sox beginning Monday, the division title theirs to win or lose.

They also seem assured of having Clemens available to pitch the playoff opener against the Oakland Athletics next Saturday, providing they get that far.

“The big thing was that I wanted to feel part of the team again,” Clemens said. “We had a 6 1/2-game lead (when he last pitched on Sept. 4) and I felt like I let the team down. I didn’t want to end the season on that kind of downer.

“So much anxiety had built up today that I’m just glad to have it over, glad to have pitched well again.”

Clemens said he threw often enough on the sidelines to feel secure about his decision to try it, though he warmed up for an extra 15 minutes in case of a problem, knowing by doing it he would leave a few fastballs in the bullpen.

“I felt fatigue in the third inning and was finished after the sixth,” he said. “Mentally, I had to take myself past a certain point. In ‘85, (when he had shoulder surgery) I learned there was a difference between pain and being hurt. I knew there would be stiffness and different feelings in my shoulder today, but I think I can build on this and handle it.”

Fischer said he needed to see Clemens throw only two all-out pitches in the bullpen to know he was back. Brunansky wasn’t as confident.

“Every time he shook his arm today I felt a twinge,” Brunansky said. “I mean, it was an emotional roller coaster watching him warm up, watching him start and stop a couple of times.

“I was never sure he was going to make it, but he’s pretty amazing.”

Brunansky’s performance wasn’t bad either, particularly since he was benched four times in the last week and a half for a lack of productivity and now has nine RBIs in the last four games after collecting just 11 in the previous 38.

“I’ve been working on some things and they seemed to have clicked in,” he said.

Brunansky, who hit four home runs in a double-A game while a member of the Angels’ farm system, drove each of his three homers into the net above the left-field wall. Fenway has always been one of his most productive parks, but he has only 14 home runs in 125 games since the May 4 trade in which Lee Smith went to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Is he hopeful of re-signing here, or will he leave as a free agent?

“I’ve always felt comfortable and enjoyed hitting here, but I’m not even thinking about that right now,” he said of his contract situation. “I just want to stay hot like this for another three weeks or so.”

That would take him through the World Series, a dissolving goal for the Blue Jays, who have lost four in a row and six of their past eight games, and are 2-10 against the Red Sox this year--0-6 at Fenway.

“It’s still not quite over, but it’s an uphill battle all the way now,” Toronto Manager Cito Gaston said of the race. “It would be asking a lot if we lose tomorrow. That’s a game we have to win.”

Frustrated again Saturday, Gaston said of Clemens: “He looked pretty good for a guy with a bad arm. Guys who are winners reach back for a little more, and that’s what he did.”

Added Boston left fielder Mike Greenwell: “He was great. He was Roger Clemens. What more can you say?”