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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Even on a day when The Rocket wasn't firing at
full throttle, Roger Clemens still managed to move up another step on another career list.
|  | | Roger Clemens didn't have his best stuff for the Yankees, but still managed to hold Cleveland in check. |
Clemens moved into fifth place on the career strikeout list and
Chuck Knoblauch and Derek Jeter each reached base five times,
leading the New York Yankees to a 12-5 romp Saturday over the
Cleveland Indians.
Clemens (5-1) didn't have his best stuff, but overcame a
59-minute rain delay and once again handled Cleveland. He held
baseball's top hitting team -- the Indians came in batting .300 -- to
five runs and eight hits in seven innings.
"I could have been gone after the fourth inning," Clemens
said. "If I had to invent things I was going to. I don't think I
had a whole lot. It was a battle."
The 38-year-old Rocket passed Hall of Famer Don Sutton for fifth
on the career strikeout list in the seventh when he fanned Jacob
Cruz for No. 3,575.
Only Tom Seaver (3,640), Bert Blyleven (3,701), Steve Carlton
(4,136) and Nolan Ryan (5,714) have more strikeouts than Clemens,
who is in his 18th season.
"It's longevity," Clemens said. "Being able to have your name
mentioned with those guys. It's very gratifying to be placed among
the best. It's pretty neat and it gives you an appreciation of what
they've all done."
Clemens is 25-8 in 44 career starts against the Indians, his
second-most victories against any team. The right-hander struck out
eight, walked two and with his 265th career victory, tied Jim McCormick
for 32nd place on the career list.
"Roger was tough," said Cleveland's Ellis Burks. "He threw 94
(mph). That's still impressive, let me tell you. We had him in
trouble and did not take advantage."
Knoblauch and Jeter sparked New York's 15-hit attack with three
hits apiece. Knoblauch went 3-for-4 with three RBI, scored four
runs and had two steals. Jeter also went 3-for-4, scored twice and
might have turned the game with a tenacious at-bat.
"He swung at every pitch imaginable," Yankees manager Joe
Torre said of Jeter's 14-pitch at-bat in the fourth inning. "That
was a big, big at-bat for us."
Clemens said he could tell early on that it was going to be one
of those days where he wouldn't be able to blow hitters away and
that he would have to fight for every pitch. He also was trying to
block out some aches and pains.
Asked what was hurting him most, Clemens said, "I'd rather not
get into that. I've got them. I'm 38."
Clemens' gutty performance impressed Torre, who has seen the
future Hall of Famer do this kind of thing before.
"The thing that I like most is that he didn't have his best
stuff and he still battled," Torre said. "He's had a pretty
incredible career."
Knoblauch hit a two-run triple in the eighth that Indians center
fielder Cruz missed before crashing through the gate into
Cleveland's bullpen.
Jorge Posada and Scott Brosius homered off rookie C.C. Sabathia
(5-2) and Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez had two RBI apiece for
the Yankees, who took advantage of every break the Indians gave
them.
Cleveland had runners doubled off to end two consecutive innings
and Indians first baseman Jim Thome made a costly error in an ugly
sixth inning when New York scored three runs to open an 8-4 lead.
Ellis Burks, Cruz and Russell Branyan homered for the Indians,
who are 20-7 since April 26.
Trailing 3-1, the Yankees scored four times in the fourth thanks
in part to Jeter's incredible at-bat with two outs.
Posada opened with his eighth homer, a 420-foot shot to center,
and Knoblauch's two-out run-scoring single tied it 3-3.
Jeter then battled Sabathia, fouling off eight pitches with two
strikes before walking. O'Neill followed with a two-run double.
"Knoblauch and Jeter were tremendous," said Indians manager
Charlie Manuel. "That at-bat by Jeter was something. We jumped on
Clemens and I thought we were going to get him but we couldn't hold
the lead."
New York broke it open with three runs in the sixth off Roy
Smith, who was making his big league debut. Thome could have gotten
the Indians out of the inning, but he hit Jeter in the back on a
throw to second.
Game notes
The Monkees, in town for a concert appearance, each threw
out a ceremonial first pitch. Davy Jones bounced his offering.
Peter Tork threw three balls at once and Mickey Dolenz tossed his
backwards. It was reminiscent of some of the Indians' pitching
staffs of the 1970s. ... Indians third baseman Travis Fryman went 3-for-3 and
had one assist for Triple-A Buffalo on Friday night. Fryman, out all
year with an torn elbow ligament, could be activated next week. ...
Posada's homer was his second in four games after going 87 at-bats
without hitting one.
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RECAPS
NY Yankees 12
Cleveland 5
Texas 0
Baltimore 0
Oakland 5
Minnesota 4
Minnesota 7
Oakland 6
(2nd game)
Anaheim 10
Tampa Bay 4
Toronto 5
Boston 0
Chi. White Sox 8
Detroit 0
Seattle 7
Kansas City 2
Florida 7
NY Mets 3
Milwaukee 0
Chicago Cubs 0
Colorado 10
San Francisco 4
Atlanta 9
Pittsburgh 3
Cincinnati 7
St. Louis 2
Montreal 0
Philadelphia 0
Arizona 3
San Diego 1
Los Angeles 7
Houston 2
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