AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Clemens Gets Caught in Home Run Derby

Just when he was beginning to feel good about his latest comeback from a shoulder problem, hard-throwing Roger Clemens suffered another setback.

Texas built an eight-run lead on four homers off Clemens, two by Ivan Rodriguez, then held off the Red Sox, 9-8, Thursday night in a matchup of division leaders at Boston.

“I’m not concerned,” said Clemens, who left in the fifth inning. “I need to just continue to stay healthy and be aggressive.”

Although he hadn’t pitched too well, Clemens had been a good luck charm with the Red Sox going 6-2 in his eight starts.

They didn’t quite pull this one out, but with the Angels rallying past Detroit, the Red Sox kept their three-game lead in the AL East.

After giving up five runs in two innings, Clemens struck out four in the next two innings before falling apart.

Bob Tewksbury gave up only one hit through four innings, but he couldn’t stand prosperity. The Red Sox chased him with six runs in the fifth inning.

Mo Vaughn barely missed a grand slam with a three-run double and Jose Canseco hit his sixth home run in the rally.

The Red Sox made it 9-8 in the seventh but couldn’t get even. Jeff Russell pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save, his first appearance since recovering from a herniated disk suffered in late June.

Milwaukee 8, Chicago 7--The league rescinded its rule that any pitcher who hit a batter during the series would automatically be rejected, but it didn’t legislate against an exciting game.

Darryl Hamilton doubled home Jeff Cirillo with two out in the 10th inning at Milwaukee to climax a series of Brewer comebacks.

The White Sox had jumped to a 6-2 lead in two innings behind Jim Abbott, but the former Angel couldn’t hold it.

The decision to return the judgment of the umpires pleased everyone. A bench-clearing brawl had followed a brush-back pitch by Ron Dibble of Chicago on June 29.

The White Sox took a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth, but the Brewers tied it on Greg Vaughn’s two-out double in the ninth.

New York 7, Minnesota 2--Jack McDowell (7-5), taking his role as the new Yankee ace seriously, held the Twins to a run and four hits in seven innings at New York.

It was the sixth win in his last seven decisions since the Yankees lost their other ace, Jimmy Key, for the season.

McDowell settled down after Chuck Knoblauch hit the game-opening pitch for a home run.

Bernie Williams led the Yankees, driving in three runs, two with his 10th home run.

Kansas Ciy 9, Baltimore 8--The Royals scored six times before the Orioles even came to bat at Baltimore, but had to rally for two runs in the ninth to pull out the victory.

Wally Joyner’s run-scoring double was the difference in a wild game. Gary Gaetti, continuing his big comeback, opened the ninth with his 18th home run to tie it.

Former Dodger Tom Goodwin had a one-out single and raced home when Joyner’s two-out double hit off the scoreboard in right field.

Rafael Palmeiro had gone hitless 25 times in a row before he snapped out of it with a double and a two-run homer for the Orioles.

Toronto 4, Seattle 1--Rumors persist that the Blue Jays’ brilliant right-hander, David Cone will soon be traded to a contender. But he keeps doing his best.

Cone (8-5) pitched a six-hitter in a victory at Seattle.

Cone outpitched former Dodger Tim Belcher (4-5), who has lost four of his last five starts.

The Blue Jays broke the game open with three unearned runs in the eighth after Jay Buhner’s 12th home run tied it for Seattle in the seventh.

The Mariners had five errors.