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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 July 7, 1986 ... Roger Clemens, who for three months had been the hottest pitcher in baseball, hardly looked like himself in a 6-4 loss to the Oakland A's at Fenway Park. It was Clemens' second straight loss after 14 straight victories and his shortest outing of the year so far. It certainly was not what the crowd of 27,347 and a national television audience were expecting. But the A's, cellar dwellers in the American League West, had their own ideas about how to beat Clemens, and had him on the run after only three innings. Perhaps they were just showing off for new manager Tony LaRussa, who for a while wasn't even sure which of two lineups he was going to use last night. It didn't matter, really, because both included sluggers Jose Canseco and Dave Kingman, who each hit home runs in the sixth inning as part of a three-run surge that broke open a 3-1 contest. After Carney Lansford had beaten out an infield single, Canseco caught a Clemens slider and drove it into the left-field screen just like it was batting practice. Kingman joined in the fun for Oakland moments later, clubbing a high fastball for a solo home run and a 6- 1 lead. It seemed a strange ending for Clemens, who said he struggled with his concentration during the early innings. But a man who throws a 97-m.p.h. fastball is always in danger if he is around the plate in an area where the hitters can catch up to him. When Clemens left in the sixth, it was the first time this year he had failed to pitch into the seventh inning. The six runs, five of which were earned, were also season highs for the Red Sox' right-hander who fell to 14-2. Clemens had seemingly settled down by the sixth inning, but said he lacked the intensity necessary to perform up to his own standards. He wound up allowing seven hits for only the second time in the last seven games. This time, however, the Red Sox simply couldn't manufacture enough runs to take him off the hook. Boston had plenty of opportunities against right-hander Dave Stewart, who worked the first six innings and recorded his first victory since Sept. 28, 1984, when he was with Texas. But after cutting the lead to two in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run homer by Dwight Evans, the Red Sox bungled a great scoring chance in the seventh inning. Rey Quinones singled and moved to second on a walk to Marty Barrett. When Wade Boggs hit a drive off the wall in left, confusion turned what should have been a routine double into a single. Quinones scored from second, but he had gone back to second to tag up, and it created a disastrous chain reaction. Barrett was slowed up by the sight of Quinones coming back, and he was unable to make it to third. Boggs had to hustle back to first. It didn't work out because A's catcher Jerry Willard pounced on a bunt by Bill Buckner and threw to third to start a 2-5-4 double play. When Jim Rice grounded to short for the third out, the Sox had blown their last chance to pull this one out. Bruce Hurst was reported improved, and will probably return to the rotation after the All-Star break. McNamara says he also hopes to have reliever Sammy Stewart back by then, but much depends on how Stewart does the rest of the week. Marty Barrett picked up two more hits, extending his hitting streak to 14 games (27 for 58, .466), tying the club high this season set by both he and Wade Boggs. Don Baylor has hit safely in nine straight (10 for 34). |
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