Red Sox Make It Easy for Clemens : Angels: Boston pounds out 17 hits as ERA leader wins his 16th game, 14-3.

In scoring two earned runs off Roger Clemens, the Angels accomplished just about what most teams have done against the Boston right-hander this season. In losing to him, they also kept up the trend.

Clemens, who had allowed only one earned run in his previous three games, was charged with two runs Thursday, but that did little to jeopardize either his bid for the American League earned-run average title or the Red Sox’s bid to increase their AL East lead to two games over Toronto. Clemens lasted 6 2/3 innings and left behind three runners--two of whom scored--but his teammates’ offensive support secured a 14-3 rout of the Angels.

Although his ERA rose .02 to 2.16, Clemens (16-5) struck out six to increase his league-leading strikeout total to 164. He is second in wins to Oakland’s Bob Welch, who has 18.

Mike Greenwell drove in three runs with a two-run home run--the first off Jim Abbott by a left-handed hitter this season--and a sacrifice fly. Ellis Burks also drove in three to lead Boston’s 17-hit attack against Abbott (7-10), Mark Eichhorn and Cliff Young and give the Red Sox their eighth victory in 10 games. Abbott allowed seven earned runs in six innings and has yet to win back-to-back decisions this season. He is 1-6 at Anaheim Stadium.

Jody Reed, Carlos Quintana and Wade Boggs, the first, second and third hitters in Boston’s lineup, ranked fifth, sixth and seventh in the AL batting race before the game. All three improved their averages in the early innings Thursday, as the Red Sox scored three times in the first and three more in the third to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

Carlos Quintana, who has hit in 15 of 16 games, singled up the middle with one out to begin the first-inning uprising. He went to second when Boggs singled to left, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Quintana and Boggs scored when Burks, who took a .303 average into the game and was a few points out of the top 10, lined a triple into the right-field corner. Burks scored when Luis Polonia made a poor throw home on Greenwell’s fly to shallow left.

That lead ballooned to 6-0 in the third. Reed touched things off with a single to left. He took second on Quintana’s single to center and went to third when Boggs forced Quintana at second. Burks followed with a grounder to third, which Rick Schu turned into a force on Boggs at second. Reed scored on the play.

Greenwell followed with his sixth home run of the season, hitting Abbott’s first pitch over the fence in right-center.

Clemens limited the Angels to two hits over four innings, the first being a single to left by Chili Davis in Davis’ first at-bat since being activated off the disabled list. Davis, who had a lower back strain, last played on July 13.

Through five innings, Clemens had allowed three singles and had not permitted the Angels to get a runner into scoring position. He had recorded five strikeouts, getting Polonia twice and Lee Stevens, Dick Schofield and Max Venable once each, and had not issued a walk.

Abbott had an easier time getting through the middle innings, holding Boston to one walk and one hit through the fourth, fifth and sixth. But the Angels were unable to make a dent in the Red Sox’s big lead.

Clemens showed some vulnerability in the sixth, when the Angels put runners on first and third with one out. Polonia led off with a grounder to deep short, so sure a hit that shortstop Tim Naehring didn’t bother throwing. After a strikeout of Johnny Ray, Davis singled to left, moving Polonia to third.

Winfield, who entered the game with a .368 career average against Clemens, flied to right, but the ball was too shallow for Polonia to risk tagging and trying to score. Stevens couldn’t get a run in, either, lofting a fly ball caught on the run by Greenwell.

After yielding a leadoff double to Tony Pena in the seventh, Abbott was relieved by Mark Eichhorn. Pena moved to third on a grounder by Reed and scored on Quintana’s third hit of the night, a single to right. The Red Sox broke it open with five more in the eighth.

Angel Notes

Conditioning coach Jimmie Reese, who underwent two angioplasty procedures after experiencing heart problems earlier this season, continues to recover at his Westwood home. It was initially hoped that the 85-year-old Reese, renowned for his fungo hitting, would be back in uniform after the All-Star break but his doctors have cautioned him against that exertion. He might visit Anaheim Stadium next week as a spectator for the first time since his illness.

Chili Davis was activated off the disabled list and was in Thursday’s lineup. To make room on the roster, pitcher Joe Grahe was optioned to Triple A Edmonton. Davis was placed on the DL on July 17 (retroactive to July 14) because of a lower back strain.

Brian Downing was scratched from Thursday’s lineup shortly before the game because of a slightly strained right hamstring, an injury he suffered while running to first base in the 11th inning of the Angels’ 8-6 victory over Boston Wednesday. Davis, who was originally to play left field, became the DH, Luis Polonia moved from center field to left and Max Venable was inserted in center field. . . . Bob McClure pronounced himself ready to pitch after throwing on consecutive days without pain or stiffness. During his recovery from elbow problems, he has added a forkball to his repertoire. “It’s not like (Chuck) Finley’s or (Bryan) Harvey’s,” he said. “Theirs drop. Mine is more like a screwball.”