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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9
"IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER"...
Clemens beats the Athletics with 10K
May
4, 1986 ... After
setting a major league strikeout record just five days before, Roger
Clemens had to "settle" for a 4-1 victory over the Oakland A's and
his fifth straight win. But it's unrealistic to be disappointed in
Clemens' eight-inning performance. Although he did not break another
major league record for strikeouts in consecutive games, he tied an
18-year-old Red Sox mark (held by Ray Culp) by striking out at least
10 in three straight games.
Records
aside, Clemens knows he has just begun to leave his mark on the sport. He showed
enough to convince the A's and the 25,190 at Fenway that his record-setting 20
strikeout performance was no fluke.
The A's got
three hits and one run, which at Fenway is close to a whitewash. Two of the hits
were singles by second baseman Tony Phillips, one of only a few batters with a
quick enough bat to handle Clemens' fast ball. The other hit was a home run by
Dave Kingman. He wanted a win and a 5-0 record, which ties him with Oakland's
Moose Haas for the best start in the American League. He wanted to stay within
himself and show that his pitching style, and not just his 95 mile-per-hour fast
ball, makes him effective. He accomplished exactly that. Clemens' 10 strikeouts
gave him the league lead with 49. He blew the ball past the A's early, then
dazzled them with breaking pitches and by mixing speeds. Clemens wound up with
just two walks.
But it was
clear the attention that came with Tuesday's feat had taken a toll on the
23-year-old Clemens. He had been warned by McNamara that the pressure older
players are able to handle might affect him.
He was
throwing as hard in the ninth inning as he was in the first. Today, the Sox
weren't even sure about sending him out for the eighth inning. But Clemens,
according to catcher Rich Gedman, reached inside for something extra and retired
the side. Clemens left in favor of Bob Stanley after 124 pitches; he threw 139
Tuesday. Very little seemed to affect Clemens. He struck out the first two
batters, and shortstop Glenn Hoffman made a leaping stab of a liner by Jose
Canseco to end the inning.
Clemens got
runs early as Boston scored four times in the first. Right-hander Rick Langford
was off just enough for Boston to get a lead it would never relinquish.
Dwight Evans
led off with a double to right, and Wade Boggs walked. Singles by Bill Buckner
and Jim Rice and a double play produced three runs. A walk to Gedman, a stolen
base and a double by Marty Barrett brought home the fourth run.
Reliever Wes
Gardner threw at batting practice speed in the bullpen, his best outing since
going on the disabled list three weeks ago with a muscle tear in his right
shoulder.
Wade Boggs
got two more hits and raised his average to .337, but he is still bothered by a
pulled leg muscle. Shortstop Glenn Hoffman made only his second start since
April 9th, and had a nice leaping catch on a line drive by Jose Canseco in the
first inning. Jim Rice's two hits extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Boston has
gone 11-4 after a 3-5 start and is 5-1 on this homestand. |
