AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Oakland Routs Clemens, Boston

Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox has most-valuable-player and Cy Young Award credentials--except against Dave Stewart and the Oakland Athletics.

Stewart (18-10) defeated Clemens (20-6) for the third time this season as the Athletics capitalized on walks and errors Tuesday night for a 6-2 victory at Boston.

“It’s just the luck of the draw,” said Stewart after holding Boston to six hits and two runs in eight innings. “I’ve just been able to go out and do a little better against this ballclub.”

Stewart’s career record is 11-5 against Boston. Clemens is 3-9 against Oakland.

“I just pitched poorly, that’s all that needs to be said,” said Clemens, who gave up four runs--two unearned--walked six and committed two throwing errors in 5 1/3 innings.

The victory enabled Oakland to remain 6 1/2 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the American League West. Boston stayed 6 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East as Toronto lost to Detroit.

The A’s took a quick lead, scoring two runs in the first inning when Harold Baines doubled in Rickey Henderson and Jose Canseco scored on Clemens’ error.

Clemens was shelled in the sixth inning when Oakland loaded the bases on singles by Jamie Quirk, Willie Rudolph and Mike Gallego.

Larry Andersen replaced Clemens and gave up an RBI single to Henderson before stopping the A’s.

The Athletics went up 6-2 with two runs in the ninth inning on Carney Lansford’s RBI double and Mark McGwire’s sacrifice fly. Dennis Eckersley pitched the ninth inning to secure the victory.

Detroit 3, Toronto 1--Alan Trammell’s bases-loaded double, one of only four Tiger hits, broke a seventh-inning tie to give the Tigers a victory at Detroit.

The loss cost the Blue Jays yet another chance to gain on Boston.

Frank Wills, Duane Ward and John Candalaria combined on the four-hitter, giving up 10 walks and striking out 10. Ward (2-8) took the loss despite giving up only one hit in 2 1/3 innings.

Paul Gibson (4-4) gave up one hit in one inning of relief. Mike Henneman pitched two innings for his 20th save.

Chicago 6, Kansas City 3--Jack McDowell won his sixth in a row and record-breaking reliever Bobby Thigpen recorded his 48th save as the White Sox won at Chicago.

Dan Pasqua had two hits and three RBIs and Lance Johnson had two hits and scored three runs to key the Chicago offense as the White Sox remained 6 1/2 games behind Oakland.

McDowell (12-6) is 6-0 in nine starts at home since the Angels beat him, 4-1, on June 18.

Thigpen--who broke Dave Righetti’s major league save record with his 47th Monday--pitched the last 1 1/3 innings.

Seattle 7, Baltimore 2--The Mariners did not want 40-year-old Ken Griffey Sr. on their roster as a sideshow. They wanted him for his bat and experience--and he delivered.

Griffey got three hits, including a three-run double, as the Mariners beat the Orioles at Baltimore. Seattle is 4-0 with Griffey and his son, Ken, Jr., in the lineup.

Erik Hanson (13-9) gave up two runs and four hits over seven innings. Keith Comstock pitched the final two innings.

In the second inning, Pete Harnisch (10-10) gave up three walks to load the bases for Griffey Sr., who hit a two-out, three-run double into the gap in right-center.

Minnesota 7, Milwaukee 1--Gary Gaetti and Pedro Munoz each had four hits in a 19-hit attack at Milwaukee.

Tim Drummond (3-4), who relieved Twin starter David West in the third inning, gave up four hits. West left the game with a strained left hamstring.

Cleveland 7, Texas 5--At Arlington, Tex., Cory Snyder and Carlos Baerga homered as the Indians broke their eight-game losing streak.

The Indians had scored only two runs in the previous 30 innings.

Sergio Valdez (3-5) scattered six hits and struck out a career-high seven batters.