Clemens, Yankees denied by Orioles

This was one personal accomplishment that Roger Clemens really wanted, mostly because it would provide the New York Yankees with a lift they desperately needed.

It was a win-win situation. Clemens would earn his 350th victory, and the Yankees would end a three-game losing streak.

Unfortunately for Clemens and the Yankees, that scenario did not play out Wednesday night at Camden Yards. Clemens was denied his milestone win, his streak of consecutive starts with a strikeout ended at 200, and the Yankees lost to the Baltimore Orioles, 4-0.

The 44-year-old Clemens (1-3) was trying to become the eighth pitcher with 350 wins. He threw five shutout innings, but his bid fell apart in a four-run sixth inning that included a three-run homer by Aubrey Huff.

“It’s my fault. I’ve been in hundreds of those types of games,” Clemens said. “You just want to minimize what you’re doing out there and try to keep momentum. The way the game’s breaking down, you want to stay away from the big inning.”

It didn’t happen. Clemens walked off the mound trailing, 4-0, and the Yankees went quietly in losing for the seventh time in eight games.

The right-hander’s run of successive starts with at least one strikeout also ended. It was the third-longest streak by an active major leaguer, behind Pedro Martinez (293) and Javier Vazquez (237).

Clemens is second on the career strikeout list with 4,626, trailing Nolan Ryan (5,714).

Clemens gave up four runs, seven hits and three walks in six innings. He was outdone by Erik Bedard (6-4), who gave up two hits and a walk in seven innings. The left-hander struck out eight and did not allow a runner past first base.

Clemens yielded only three hits through the first five innings, but after throwing two pitches in the sixth he was visited at the mound by trainer Steve Donohue. Clemens suffered discomfort when he struck his elbow on his knee during his follow-through.