Clemens Stand in Way of Angels’ Plans : Baseball: He gives up only an unearned run in Boston’s 7-1 victory.

The Angels would like to have won for Buck Rodgers in his first game back as manager.

And Boston’s Roger Clemens would like to have earned his sixth shutout of the season--and third against the Angels.

Both sides had to settle for something less in Boston’s 7-1 victory Friday night before 29,872 at Anaheim Stadium.

Clemens’ bid to become the major league leader in shutouts fell victim to an unearned run in the sixth inning after Jack Clark’s fielding error on a pickoff attempt.

Clemens (16-8) left the game after seven innings. He allowed eight hits and struck out seven, lowering his American League-leading earned-run average to 2.23 and regained the league strikeout lead with 178.

The Angels fell victim to Clemens--and to themselves.

The Red Sox took a 2-0 lead in the third and never lost it.

Angel starter Chuck Finley fell behind when he gave up a leadoff home run to rookie shortstop John Valentin. Valentin stopped at second after the ball bounced back onto the field in left and Chad Curtis threw it back to the infield. But the ball had gone over the low fence near the foul pole before coming back onto the field, and second base umpire Rich Garcia motioned to Valentin to circle the bases.

The Red Sox made the lead 2-0 after Wade Boggs walked, Jody Reed doubled and Billy Hatcher singled.

The Angels mustered a serious threat against Clemens in the third, but left with nothing after rookie Tim Salmon struck out with bases loaded. Two innings later, with two out and runners on first and second, Clemens struck out Salmon again.

The Angels broke through against Clemens for an unearned run in the sixth, after Curtis took advantage of first baseman Jack Clark’s bobble of Clemens’ pickoff attempt. Instead of being caught stealing, Curtis scampered to second ahead of Clark’s wild throw. Curtis stole third, then scored when Damion Easley’s two-out grounder skipped off the tip of the glove of second baseman Jody Reed for a single.

Finley (4-11) left in the eighth, trailing 3-1, after his fielding error on an attempted sacrifice put runners on first and second with none out. Both runners eventually scored.