American League Roundup : Ryan Guns Down Red Sox in Battle of Texans

The temperature was 82 degrees in Arlington, Tex., but the heat was on.

Roger Clemens outscored Nolan Ryan on the speed gun, but Rafael Palmeiro hit a two-run homer off Clemens in the eighth inning Sunday to give the Texas Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

“It was hard to keep from being a spectator,” Texas Manager Bobby Valentine said. “You couldn’t ask for any two pitchers to do more than Nolan and Roger did.”

Clemens reached 96 m.p.h. on the speed gun and Ryan’s fastest pitches were clocked at 95.

Ryan fell behind early, throwing a wild pitch in the first with Danny Heep at third base, but the run was costly for the Red Sox. After Wade Boggs walked to open the game and was forced at second by Heep, a Ryan fastball hit Ellis Burks on the ear flap of his helmet and the ball glanced off Burks’ shoulder.

After Burks was forced to leave the game with a bruised shoulder, Mike Greenwell grounded out to move up the runners, and Heep scored on Ryan’s wild pitch to Jim Rice on an 0-and-2 count.

“The way Roger was pitching I figured that run would hold up,” Ryan said. “It was just the kind of game I expected him to pitch. He was dominating.

“But there’s something about this team. It just won’t die.”

The Rangers lead the American League West with a 17-5 record.

The 42-year-old Ryan (3-1), who lives in Alvin, Tex., allowed three hits in eight innings and struck out 11, the 184th time in his career he struck out 10 or more. His 49 strikeouts in 35 innings lead the major leagues.

Clemens (3-1), who lives 40 miles from Ryan in Katy, Tex., pitched a six-hitter and struck out six in his second complete game this season. He has 40 strikeouts, second to Ryan.

“It was a great game to pitch in,” Clemens said. “Ryan was Ryan. The thing is his curve is so outstanding you can’t set on any other pitch.

“It’s a shame that a game like that will come down to one pitch but it happens.”

Clemens’ lead held up until Cecil Espy singled and Palmeiro homered off the right-field foul pole, 330-feet away, on a high fastball.

It was the second home run of the season for Palmeiro and broke a streak of 24 scoreless innings for Clemens against Texas.

“I struck out on the same pitch earlier,” Palmeiro said. “It’s the biggest hit of my life. It came against Clemens and in one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever seen.”

Ryan’s last start against Boston was a six-hit shutout for the Angels on July 9, 1979. He spent nine seasons in the National League with the Houston Astros.

Ryan threw 136 pitches before Jeff Russell relieved to start the ninth. Russell struck out two of the three batters he faced for his fifth save.

“I agreed with Bobby Valentine that I should come out,” Ryan said. “I had great stuff, including a very good curveball, but I was getting a little tired. A knot in my back flared up in the third inning.”

Clemens and Ryan are scheduled for a rematch Friday night at Fenway Park.

Kansas City 2, Milwaukee 0--Floyd Bannister allowed three hits over 8 1/3 innings and the Royals completed a three-game sweep of the Brewers at Kansas City.

Jim Eisenreich singled home a run in the first inning off Mike Birkbeck (0-2) and the Royals added a run in the second when Bill Buckner doubled, was sacrificed to third and scored on Brad Wellman’s infield out.

Bannister (3-0) was 0-3 against the Brewers last season and is 6-11 in his career.

Baltimore 4, Seattle 3--Mickey Tettleton hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Jeff Ballard became the first pitcher in Oriole history to win five games in April by beating the Mariners at Seattle.

Ballard (5-0) gave up three runs on seven hits in seven innings. Mark Williamson pitched the final two innings for his fourth save.

Detroit 7, Oakland 2--Lou Whitaker hit a three-run homer as the Tigers knocked out Storm Davis in a five-run second inning and downed the Athletics at Oakland.

Frank Tanana (2-3) allowed two runs, one earned, and struck out five in 7 2/3 innings for hissecond straight victory after going winless for 11 starts.

New York 5, Chicago 2--Don Slaught hit a three-run double in the first inning to back the four-hit pitching of John Candelaria and Lance McCullers as the Yankees defeated the White Sox at New York for their fourth straight victory.

Candelaria (3-2) allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one in 5 1/3 innings, leaving with discomfort in his right knee. McCullers pitched 3 2/3 innings for his first save. Melido Perez (1-3) lost his third straight decision, allowing all five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Minnesota 2, Cleveland 1--Al Newman’s run-scoring single snapped a seventh-inning tie and the Twins edged the Indians at Minneapolis to break a seven-game losing streak.

Roy Smith (2-1) and Jeff Reardon combined on a five-hitter for the Twins, who got a run on consecutive singles by Gene Larkin, Carmen Castillo and Brian Harper in the fourth. Cleveland tied it on Dave Clark’s homer in the fifth.