Clemens Can’t Match Liriano

While Roger Clemens returned to the mound for his 23rd major league season, his Houston Astros teammates got a close look at a future ace in Francisco Liriano.

Minnesota’s 22-year-old phenom pitched seven scoreless innings to lead the Twins to a 4-2 victory in Clemens’ eagerly awaited 2006 debut at Houston.

Clemens was looking for his 342nd win. Instead it was Liriano, only 7 months old when Clemens started his big league career, who earned his eighth victory.

“That’s as good as we’ve seen,” Astros Manager Phil Garner said before a pause. “Let me say that again -- that’s the best we’ve seen so far.”

The 43-year-old Clemens (0-1), a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, left after throwing 100 pitches in five innings. It was his first major league start since leaving Game 1 of the World Series eight months ago because of a strained hamstring. He gave up six hits and two runs, and struck out four and walked two.

“I’m trying to fight off age the best I can and I’ll do the work,” Clemens said. “I came in as a power pitcher, I want to go out as one. That’s the objective.”

Liriano (7-1) gave up only four hits in eight innings and didn’t yield a run until Jason Lane’s two-run homer in the eighth, helping the Twins to their ninth win in 10 games and their fourth straight series victory.

The sellout crowd of 43,769 was the largest in the history of Houston’s ballpark.

“It was positive,” said Clemens, who re-signed with the Astros on May 31. “My body felt better than expected and I hope and expect to get stronger each time I get out there.”

Chicago White Sox 1, St. Louis 0 -- Jim Thome homered in the seventh inning for the only hit against rookie Anthony Reyes, lifting Freddy Garcia and the White Sox at Chicago.

The White Sox won their seventh straight and finished a three-game sweep of the NL Central leaders despite the return of Albert Pujols, who played for the first time since straining a muscle in his side June 3. He played first base and went 0 for 4.

Reyes (1-1), who played at USC, was recalled from triple-A Memphis before the game. He retired his first 13 batters against a team that had 33 runs and 40 hits in the first two games of the series.

Garcia (9-4) gave up four hits in eight innings, retiring 13 straight at one point.

Florida 8, Baltimore 5 -- Refusing to be walked, Miguel Cabrera reached across the plate and hit an intentional ball from Todd Williams for a 10th-inning RBI single, helping the Marlins rally at Baltimore.

The Marlins trailed, 5-1, in the ninth before coming back against closer Chris Ray, who was 18 for 18 in save situations this season.

Tampa Bay 4, Arizona 1 -- Scott Kazmir (9-4) took a two-hitter into the eighth inning and Aubrey Huff homered and drove in three runs for the Devil Rays at St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Devil Rays improved to 8-1 against NL opponents. The Diamondbacks dropped to 0-6 against AL teams and remained the only club that has never beaten Tampa Bay.

Texas 5, San Diego 3 -- Michael Young got the go-ahead hit and the Rangers avoided a three-game sweep at Arlington, Texas.

John Rheinecker (3-1) gave up 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings, but the Padres managed only two runs off him.

Toronto 3, Atlanta 2 -- Thanks to another bullpen meltdown, the host Braves have lost 10 consecutive games for the first time since an 0-10 start to the 1988 season.

Starter Horacio Ramirez held Toronto to one run in 6 2/3 innings, but the bullpen blew an eighth-inning lead, with Alex Rios’ grounder off Kenny Ray driving in Lyle Overbay with the winning run.

Kansas City 15, Pittsburgh 7 -- Emil Brown and Tony Graffanino drove in three runs apiece at Kansas City, Mo., helping the Royals complete a three-game sweep in an interleague matchup between the two worst teams in the majors.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

New York 6, Cincinnati 2 -- David Wright hit a pair of two-run homers at New York and Pedro Martinez won for only the second time since April 28. Martinez (7-3) overcame unusual wildness, giving up only two hits but walking five batters in six innings.