American League Roundup : Yankees Top Clemens to Cut Boston Lead to 3 1/2

Mike Pagliarulo homered, doubled and hit a run-scoring single, and Claudell Washington stole home as the New York Yankees beat Roger Clemens and the Red Sox, 5-3, Thursday night at Boston, cutting the Red Sox lead to 3 1/2 games in the American League East.

Clemens, 6-3 in his career against the Yankees but 1-2 this season, lost for the sixth time in his last seven decisions, dropping his record to 16-11. The two-time Cy Young Award winner, who pitched a one-hitter against the Cleveland Indians last Saturday, allowed 9 hits and walked 4 in 6 innings despite striking out 8, which raised his major league-leading total to 277.

Rick Rhoden (11-10) won his fourth consecutive start as he pitched the Yankees to their seventh victory in eight games. He gave up 6 hits, walked 4 and hit a batter in 5 innings but escaped most of the time as Boston hit into two double plays and stranded eight runners in the first six innings. The Red Sox left 11 in all.

Four relievers from New York’s oft-battered bullpen followed Rhoden, and Dave Righetti held on through the eighth and ninth for his 22nd save in 31 opportunities.

Pagliarulo, born in Medford, Mass., and a resident of Melrose, Mass., broke out of a 5-for-52 slump in the second inning with his 13th home run, putting New York ahead, 1-0. He doubled and scored in the fourth, when New York scored two runs to snap a 1-1 tie, and was credited with a run-scoring single in the seventh when left fielder Mike Greenwell missed his fly ball.

In the fifth, Washington drew a leadoff walk and took third on Don Mattingly’s single to left-center. After Clemens retired the next two hitters, Washington broke for home and slid in safely when catcher Rich Gedman mishandled the pitch. The steal of home was the Yankees’ first since Dave Winfield did it on Sept. 7, 1985.

Minnesota 10, Chicago 3--Jim Dwyer’s pinch grand slam capped a six-run sixth inning, and Frank Viola became the major leagues’ first 22-game winner as the Twins defeated the White Sox at Minneapolis.

Viola (22-6) allowed seven hits, struck out five, and walked one in seven innings.

After single runs in the first and second by Chicago, Viola retired 13 straight hitters until one out in the sixth when he walked Carlton Fisk.

Oakland 6, Texas 2--Dave Parker drove in three runs, Tony Phillips homered, and late replacement Todd Burns tossed a seven-hitter as the Athletics beat the Rangers at Oakland.

The victory reduced the A’s magic number for clinching the American League West championship to five.

Burns (7-2), a last-minute replacement for 15-game winner Storm Davis, went the distance, his second complete game of the season, to pick up the victory. Davis’ neck stiffened during pregame warmups.

Burns allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked one in his second complete game.

Bobby Witt (6-10) allowed five runs in seven innings and took the loss. The outing was Witt’s shortest since returning to the Rangers from Oklahoma City of the American Assn. on July 7.

Toronto 3, Cleveland 0--Jeff Musselman pitched four-hit ball in eight innings for his first victory since Aug. 13 as the Blue Jays beat the Indians at Toronto.

Musselman (6-4) struck out four and walked none before Tom Henke finished with one-hit relief for his 24th save.

Mike Walker, making his major league debut, gave up six hits and all three runs in six innings, walking four and striking out five. He was 15-7 at double-A Williamsport of the Eastern League with 145 strikeouts in 164 innings.