AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Clemens Takes First Loss in Stride

Roger Clemens did not seem too upset Tuesday after losing a season opener for the first time since 1987.

Roberto Kelly drove in three runs and the New York Yankees beat the three-time Cy Young Award winner, 4-3, before 56,572, the largest regular-season crowd at Yankee Stadium since 1979.

Clemens, who won the Cy Young award last season with an 18-10 record that included victories in his first six starts, went the distance. He gave up eight hits, struck out five and walked one, the first batter he faced.

He was unable to hold a 2-1 lead he was given in the second inning on home runs by Phil Plantier and Mo Vaughn. But two of the four hits he yielded during the three-run sixth inning were tainted.

After Randy Velarde singled up the middle, Don Mattingly hit a slow grounder under the glove of third baseman Wade Boggs. Kelly doubled into the gap in left-center field, driving in two runs. One out later, Danny Tartabull broke his bat on a grounder through a drawn-in infield for the final run.

“After an inning like that,” Clemens said, “all you can do is get ready for the next start.”

The victory made Yankee Manager Buck Showalter’s debut a success.

Texas 4, Seattle 0--Kevin Brown showed that the Rangers could come up with some solid pitching in addition to timely hitting.

Brown pitched a four-hitter at Seattle for his first complete game in 39 starts since July 23, 1990. Dean Palmer and Juan Gonzalez supported Brown with home runs.