NAMES AND NUMBERS

DARWIN THEORY: Danny Darwin of the Boston Red Sox, a team that needs more than the pitching of Roger Clemens and Frank Viola, was rocked again by the A’s last Tuesday and immediately ejected when he hit Rickey Henderson with a pitch after giving up a home run to Lance Blankenship, the eighth he has given up in his last 12 innings.

“I know what a hitter feels like when he’s 0 for 30,” said Darwin, who is 0-4 with an 8.20 ERA this season and 12-19 with a 4.61 ERA since signing a four-year, $11.8-million contract before the 1991 season.

FLIGHTY: One of the most impressive aspects of Tim Wakefield’s 8-1 debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season was his ability to control the knuckler. He walked only 35 and struck out 51 in 92 innings. Wakefield is 3-2 this year but has already matched last year’s 35 walks in 39 innings while striking out only 18. He walked 10 and struck out only one while throwing 171 pitches in the 10 innings of a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves last Monday night. Said Manager Jim Leyland: “He gives you your money’s worth and he makes me earn mine.”

ADD WAKEFIELD: His 171 pitches are believed to be the most by a major leaguer since Fernando Valenzuela, then with the Dodgers, threw a shoulder-sapping 173 in 8 1/3 innings of a 5-4 defeat by the Montreal Expos on Aug. 30, 1987.

TRENDS: Cincinnati second baseman Bip Roberts shaved his head the other day in an effort to shake his sub-.200 slump. “I’m trying to grow some hits,” he said.

How long will teammate Roberto Kelly insist on being called Bobby? “It’s permanent, for now,” Kelly said.

MOUNTAIN HIGH: The Colorado Rockies are averaging 58,940 fans through 13 dates, projecting to 4,774,140 for the season. They have an advance sale of 220,000 for a four-game series with the Braves starting Thursday.

WET BLANKET: The 3-2 victory over Jim Abbott, the 2-1 verdict over Clemens and the best April winning percentage in franchise history are all confidence builders, but caution is still the best course for the Angels. The Texas Rangers had a 17-5 April in 1989, including a 2-1 victory over Clemens, but went 10-17 in May and ultimately finished 16 games behind Oakland in the American League West.