American League Roundup : Blue Jays Use Key to Beat Clemens

Once again, the Toronto Blue Jays found the key to beating Roger Clemens: Jimmy Key.

Key improved his record to 3-0, defeating Clemens and the Boston Red Sox for the second time in a week, 4-2, Thursday at Toronto. This is the same 25-year-old left-hander who is 3-1 in his last five starts against Clemens and who handed the 1986 AL Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner his first loss last season after 14 straight wins.

“I don’t think of it as me against him,” Key said after allowing 2 hits in 6 innings. “It’s not Roger that I have to get out, it’s the hitters.”

Toronto’s Rance Mulliniks went 3 for 4 with a home run, his first since last July 17, and drove in two runs to raise his batting average to .428. Jesse Barfield also played a major role, breaking a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning with a run-scoring single against Clemens.

“I’m just feeling very comfortable at the plate,” Mulliniks said. “Roger’s a tremendous pitcher, and I was lucky enough tonight to have some balls fall in for me.

“On the homer, I just don’t think I can hit a ball any better than that. The wind was blowing in pretty good from right, but I didn’t hit it high enough to let the wind keep it in the park.”

Key, who beat Clemens last Saturday in Boston, struck out 3 and walked 3. He got into serious trouble in the sixth when he loaded the bases on walks, but Don Baylor flied out to end the threat.

Seattle 6, Oakland 5--Ken Phelps drove in three runs, and Mike Trujillo struck out a career-high eight batters to lead the Mariners at Seattle.

Trujillo allowed all 5 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings, including Carney Lansford’s three-run home run. The third baseman has hit safely in all 10 games the A’s have played.

Trailing, 5-4, Seattle scored twice in the fourth to go ahead for good. With one out, Harold Reynolds doubled and went to third on a ground-out. Oakland pitcher Jose Rijo walked Mickey Brantley and Phil Bradley to load the bases, and Phelps followed by beating out a soft bouncer to second baseman Tony Phillips for an infield single.

Phillips’ wild throw allowed Brantley to score from second with the go-ahead run.