THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 9
"IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER"...
Clemens loses on his own error

August 4, 1986 ... At Fenway Park, a tough 1-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox, was caused largely by a throwing error in the eighth by Roger Clemens. It put the game-winning run on third base and led to Julio Cruz' game-winning sacrifice fly that pinned Clemens with only his third loss at home this year and decreased Boston's AL East lead over Baltimore to 3 1/2 games.

This was one of those games where the pendulum finally took a swing against Clemens, who lost to Chicago for the second time in six days. The runs that were almost automatic when he pitches didn't come last night. The Red Sox reverted to the anemic hitting of a week ago, getting only three hits off three Chicago pitchers.

Boston only had two hits off Jose DeLeon, a National League refugee from the Pirates, who went out and proved last week's 7-2 victory over Clemens was no fluke. That was the game, you recall, in which the Sox pitcher was ejected while trailing, 3-2. This time, DeLeon was on the bench when Chicago broke a scoreless tie in the eighth, and with a 1-0 lead never had to come back.

Clemens did what he always does. He kept the opposition off the scoreboard, and waited patiently for a Red Sox explosion that never came. Instead, it was Boston that cracked, and that hasn't happened many times when Clemens is pitching.

The eighth-inning frustration began with Wade Boggs, who set the table by bobbling a routine grounder by Carlton Fisk. Boggs got in front of the ball and saw it bounce off his chest. It was compounded moments later by Clemens, usually a pretty good fielder. He fielded a bunt by Ozzie Guillen, and for some reason mistook Marty Barrett for Kevin McHale. The throw to first sailed over Barrett's head for a two-base error. Fisk wound up on third, and the only reason he didn't score was that the ball bounced within range of a fan, who mercifully caught it. And that just set the stage for Cruz, who hit an 0-and-2 pitch far enough to center to score Fisk from third.

Both pitchers were in control of the game. For seven innings, Clemens did what he'd hoped to do. He said last week's debacle in Chicago was history. He had good command of his fastball and breaking pitches. After giving up one hit each in the first four innings, he went on a delicious roll and retired 12 straight batters.

But DeLeon was just as effective, especially after the first inning when he pitched out of a jam cause by a passed ball and a walk with one out. First he struck out Jim Rice. Then, after hitting Don Baylor with a pitch to load the bases, he got Dwight Evans to ground into a force out.

Boston's only other scoring chance came in the third when Boggs hit a single through DeLeon's legs and it rolled past Darryl Boston for an error that put Boggs on second. DeLeon mowed down Bill Buckner, Jim Rice and Baylor with relative ease.

The Sox never really got much going after that. DeLeon left after seven innings. Boston could get only one hit off relievers Bob James, who left with an upper arm injury, and Dave Schmidt.

Former Red Sox outfielder Steve Lyons came back to Fenway Park for the first time, but almost nothing has changed. He's still on the bench and unhappy. Lyons is hitting .217 in 20 games for Chicago and .239 overall.