THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 9
"IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER"...
Clemens cruises to his 13th win

June 21, 1986 ... Lifting his record into the ionosphere (13-0), Roger Clemens went eight innings, struck out six and walked three en route to a 7-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He was neither spectacular nor sorry, but he was good enough to win again. Dwight Evans provided most of the Boston offense with a homer, two singles and four RBIs.

Clemens leads the league in ERA (2.18) and strikeouts (114), but you don't get to 13-0 without some support, and the Rocketman has not exactly been hanging out at the Hard Luck Cafe this season. The Sox have scored an average of 6.9 runs in Clemens' 14 starts. Since Clemens has allowed only 2.18 runs per nine innings, the "typical" Roger Clemens game results in a 7-2 Red Sox victory.

Seven of Clemens' 13 wins have followed Boston defeats, and today's conquest came on the heels of an embarrassing 14-3 waxing at the hands of the Orioles Friday night. As was the case in New York last Monday, Clemens got all the runs he needed in the first inning. A crowd of 35,707 (the largest paid attendance at Fenway since April 23, 1978) was still humming Kate Smith's recording of "God Bless America" when the Red Sox put it away with four in the first.

It was an unusual inning. Baltimore starter Ken Dixon (6-5) fanned leadoff hitter Marty Barrett, then failed to snare an Ed Romero grounder to the right side. Juan Bonilla charged and gloved the trickler, but his throw pulled Eddie Murray off the bag. Buckner was next, and he reached into the dirt to pull a single to right. Romero took third. Jim Rice popped up and Don Baylor waved at for a third strike was way outside and flew past Oriole catcher Rick Dempsey. Dempsey later said he was set up for an inside curve while Dixon said his catcher knew what was coming. It was a costly mix-up. Romero scored, Buckner limped to second, and Baylor took first.

Evans was next, and he fouled off two pitches after working the count to 1- and-2, stepping out several times. Evans drilled Dixon's sixth serve into the net in left-center. 4-0. Shut out the lights. Clemens had enough runs. It was Evans' eighth homer, but only his second at Fenway. It was also the 22d allowed by Dixon in 82 innings. He is on the threshold of taking over as the American League Bridgemaster. Jack Morris leads the league with 23 gopher balls.

But the damage had been done. Clemens allowed only one baserunner in the first three innings, and has thus far proven to be unbeatable with a lead. The big Texan got into a jam in the fourth. He started by walking Juan Beniquez (after umpire Jim Morrison missed a third strike). Beniquez took third when Jim (Pigpen) Dwyer cracked a single to right. Cleanup man Murray lined to short, but Beniquez came home when Cal Ripken singled to left. Larry Sheets loaded the bases with another single to right, but Clemens caught Mike Young looking at a third strike and got Bonilla on a grounder to second to end the threat.

Clemens, who threw 139 pitches, sailed through the fifth and sixth, but stumbled in the seventh. Bonilla reached on a one-out infield single. Dempsey struck out swinging, but Tom O'Malley fouled off six pitches before finally drawing a walk. Beniquez was next, and he singled to center, scoring Bonilla. Clemens got out of the inning by popping up Dwyer.

Clemens walked Murray to open the eighth (he again appeared unhappy with Morrison), but got Ripken on a fly to right. He retired Sheets and Young on grounders to first. Young's drive was a hot shot to Buckner's right. Buck speared the ball and threw to Clemens covering. Roger tumbled over the bag as he made the play, then went out to shake Buckner's hand in Oil Can Boyd fashion.

The Sox scored three times after the first, and Baylor and Evans were in on both rallies. Baylor walked to lead off the fourth, then took third when Tony Armas walked on a wild pitch. Baylor scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Rich Gedman.

Buckner led with a cheap double to short center in the eighth. With one out, Baylor was hit by a pitch. Evans singled home Buckner, and Steve Lyons scored Baylor with a sacrifice fly to center to complete the scoring. Bob Stanley pitched the ninth and retired the Orioles in order.

Cal Ripken hit in his 17th consecutive game, the second-longest streak in the American League.

Don Baylor had an unusual day. He was hit by a pitch for the 16th time this year, putting him within one of the Red Sox' season record set by Holy Cross' Jack Barry in 1916. He also walked and reached base on a wild-pitch strikeout. Baylor scored each time.

Dwight Evans stole second in the eighth. It was his second steal of the season. The Sox have a league-low 15 stolen bases.

Opponents are batting .177 against Clemens this season. The longest winning streak by a Sox pitcher is 16, set by Smoky Joe Wood in 1912. Ellis Kinder and Clemens are tied for second with 13.

John McNamara still hasn't heard from Wade Boggs, and doesn't expect to see Boggs (who is in Tampa for his mother's funeral) until tomorrow at the earliest.

Down on the farm, Calvin Schiraldi (the guy Lou Gorman is always raving about) got hammered in relief Friday night, giving up three hits and four runs in 1 1/3 innings. Schiraldi would have fit right in with the Sox' bullpen gang Friday night. Mike Greenwell (.313) was 3 for 5 with his 14th homer.