Clemens Extends Streak to 19

The Boston Red Sox have seen plenty of Roger Clemens over the years. They’ve just never seen him quite like this.

The Rocket, wearing the hated New York Yankee pinstripes for the first time against his former team, gave up two hits in seven innings Thursday night to beat the Boston Red Sox, 4-1, at New York and win his 19th consecutive decision.

“Obviously you think about it a little before the game,” John Valentin said of seeing his former teammate in a Yankee uniform. “Once the game starts you concentrate on what you have to do.”

Valentin was the only Red Sox player able to do that, getting both hits against Clemens, including a run-scoring single in the sixth. Other than that, Clemens was dominating, striking out seven and walking three.

“He doesn’t give you that many good pitches to hit,” said Mike Stanley, Clemens’ catcher his last season in Boston. “He’s somebody who doesn’t make very many mistakes. He hit both corners all night.”

Clemens (4-0) has not lost in 29 starts, dating to May 29 when he fell to the Cleveland Indians while pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays. The winning streak is the longest in American League history and fourth longest in major league history, five shy of Carl Hubbell’s record for the New York Giants in 1936-37.

After losing the opener, the Yankees won the last two games of the series to move within a half-game of the Red Sox in the American League East. The Red Sox had won 15 of 18 before losing the last two. The Yankees have won five of seven.

Derek Jeter went two for four and has reached base by hit or walk in all 45 games. He singled in the sixth against Pat Rapp (2-3), stole second, advanced to third on catcher Creighton Gubanich’s throwing error and scored the go-ahead run on Tino Martinez’s single.

Oakland 6, Kansas City 1--Kenny Rogers pitched a six-hitter for his 14th consecutive victory at Oakland, and Eric Chavez and A.J. Hinch each homered in a six-run fifth inning.

It was the eighth consecutive win at home for the A’s--their longest such run in six years.

Rogers (2-2) had his scoreless-inning streak ended at 20 when Joe Randa’s sacrifice fly in the fifth brought Mike Sweeney home. But he extended his run of success in Oakland, which included an 11-0 mark in his first year with the A’s last season. He hasn’t lost at Oakland since he was with the Texas Rangers, dropping an 8-3 decision to the A’s on Aug. 7, 1994.

Detroit 10, Chicago 5--Rookie Jeff Weaver continued his role as the Tigers’ stopper with eight strong innings, and Luis Polonia went five for five at Detroit as the Tigers ended a four-game losing streak.

Polonia, in his second game since being recalled from triple-A Toledo, had two doubles and scored four runs. Brad Ausmus had a two-run homer.