The Rocket’s 20th win ended an in-and-out week for the Sox, who were having trouble putting space between themselves and the rest of the division. Cleveland’s 47-year-old knuckleballer Joe Niekro began the week by going 7 innings and allowing 5 hits and 2 runs in a 5-2 victory. A first-inning homer by Joe Carter following a Spike Owens error gave Niekro a 2-0 lead, and the Sox never seriously threatened. Franco hit another with two on in the fifth for a 5-1 advantage. Al Nipper’s ERA increased to 5.00.
Clemens’ first bid for no. 20 ended in a stunning 4-2 loss before Roger’s Texas neighbors. He seemed in line for the victory as he cruised into the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But after a Ruben Sierra single, a pinch-hit homer by Geno Petralli tied the contest. Having thrown 123 pitches, Clemens was removed after 8. Calvin Schiraldi took over and had his first bad outing in Boston. With two outs in the ninth, a walk and a Sierra walkoff homer pinned the Bosox with the defeat. Clemens was already showing his impatience with reporters. A TV journalist asked: “When you’re out there on the mound, do you feel like you’re Cy Young?” “Hell, no, ” answered Clemens, “Cy Young’s dead.”
Oil Can Boyd came up big in Texas the next night, with a complete game effort as the Sox breezed 8-1. The Can allowed only 4 hits, walked one and fanned 10 to bring his mark to 13-9. Boston jumped to a 7-1 lead after 5 innings against starter Mike Loynd, who would finish his major league career with just 3 victories. Dwight Evans and Don Baylor homered and Baylor, Tony Armas, Wade Boggs and Bill Buckner each had two safeties.
The Bosox concluded their road trip the next night, as Bruce Hurst and the tired team fell 4-1. Hurst went 6 innings and was tagged for 11 hits and 4 runs, and it was more than enough for the Rangers. Mitch Williams threw 3 1/3 hitless innings for his sixth save. The team had been on the road for 31 of the 42 days since the All-Star break, including 18 of 21 on enemy turf. They had finished their last trip with a 5-5 mark and still held a 5-game lead.
Many fans assumed the Sox would start strong back at Fenway, but that was not the case. Tom Seaver, Sammy Stewart, and Bob Stanley were thrashed by Cleveland in a 16-hit attack that included 3 Joe Carter homers as the Indians triumphed 7-3. Seaver was rocked for 9 hits and 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings. The loss cut Boston’s lead to 3 1/2 games over the surging Blue Jays. Outside of the Sox, it had been a year of relative mediocrity for the entire division. All seven squads were over .500, but only 6 games separated second-place Toronto form last-place Cleveland.
In his “Red Sox Notebook” column, Dan Shaughnessy noted that the Sox were 6 games under .500 since July 12 and headlined his piece: “Clemens is needed as a stopper-Again”. The Rocket did not disappoint. On Sunday the 31st, the team got a front page Globe “kicker” headline- Red Sox Ace Clemens Rolls to 20th Win. It was a 7-3 romp over the last-place Tribe, but it was quite a milestone, and Clemens recognized it as such. “There is so much tradition in this park,” he remarked. “I’m glad to get my 20th victory here.You guys know that power pitching and control don’t come in the same package very often. And that’s what I am the most proud of.”
It would be the first of three 20-win seasons for the Rocket in Boston. He would also achieve two in Toronto and one in New York.
Young still holds the Sox record with 5. Let’s not forget also that Luis Tiant did it 3 times in 4 years in the 1970’s.
Two stats for the Sox were a bit alarming as the week ended. First, there post-all star break record was the second worst in the division. Second, the teams’s mark without Clemens’ stats was a mediocre 55-58.
Boggs (.346) and Jim Rice remained among the top hjtters in the AL, and Evans and Rice were among the rbi leaders. Other Sox contributors were Marty Barrett at .293 with 43 rbi’s, Armas at .265 with 10 homers and 41 rbi’s, Evans at .262 but backed up by 19 round trippers and a team-leading 82 ribbies, and Buckner with 10 homers and an impressive 77 rbi’s. Despite a .231 mark, Baylor led the squad with 25 homers and had knocked in 76.
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