Rocket Slips Past Big Unit In K’S

Roger Clemens struck out eight to pass Randy Johnson and win his fourth A.L. strikeout title, and the Toronto Blue Jays finished the season by rallying to beat the visiting Boston Red Sox 3-2 Sunday.

Clemens, who left trailing 2-1, allowed seven hits in 8-1/3 innings, struck out eight and walked two. He fanned Reggie Jefferson in the fifth inning for his 291st, tying Johnson and matching his previous career high, set in 1988. Clemens came out after striking out Mike Benjamin leading off the ninth, leaving to a standing ovation.

After winning 20 of his first 24 decisions, Clemens went 1-3 in his last seven starts. He also won A.L. strikeout titles in 1988, 1991 and 1996.

Twins 5, Indians 1

Cleveland

In a rocky tuneup for the playoffs, Charles Nagy allowed five runs and nine hits in seven innings for Cleveland.

In what may have been his final game, Paul Molitor, a certain Hall of Famer and one of baseball’s most remarkable offensive players for 20 years, passed Lou Brock for 13th on the career at-bat list with 10,333.

Molitor went 1 for 3 to finish at .305 with 10 homers and 89 RBIs in his third season with the Twins, the 12th time he’s been above .300. He is a career .308 hitter with 3,178 hits. He was signed through this season and can become a free agent.

“I’ll take some time and meet with some people and we’ll see what happens,” Molitor said. “Who knows? Right now, I don’t.”

Molitor burst onto the scene as the catalyst for the 1982 A.L. champion Milwaukee Brewers. Molitor batted .302 with 19 homers, 71 RBIs and 41 steals that season.

Orioles 7, Brewers 6

Milwaukee

Mark Davis plunked Brady Anderson with the bases full and two outs in the eighth inning, giving playoff-bound Baltimore its victory over Milwaukee.

Jerome Walton had the first multi-homer game of his seven-year career.

Cal Ripken, who extended his major league record to 2,477 consecutive games, doubled in the second for his 2,716th hit, tying him with Rusty Staub for 46th on the career list.

Baltimore starter Jimmy Key was staked to an early 6-1 lead but surrendered the first grand slam of his career, covering 2,512 innings - the longest streak among active pitchers - when Jeromy Burnitz connected in the fifth.

White Sox 4, Royals 3

Chicago

Frank Thomas became the first White Sox player to win a batting title since Luke Appling in 1943, finishing with a .347 average although he went 0 for 4.

The game marked shortstop Ozzie Guillen’s final appearance with the White Sox after 13 seasons and it may have also been the last for manager Terry Bevington.

Guillen, whose contract option will not be picked up after the season, was greeted with a standing ovation before each of his three at bats. After walking in the seventh, Guillen left for a pinch-runner, trotting to the screen to greet his children before heading into the dugout.

As a tribute to Guillen, Sox players stayed in the dugout when the team was introduced, leaving Guillen to run to his position by himself.

Yankees 7, Tigers 2

Detroit

Hideki Irabu allowed two hits over five innings and Bernie Williams hit his 100th career home run as New York headed into the playoffs with its fifth consecutive victory.

Paul O’Neill and Williams hit back-to-back home runs for New York in the third.

Rangers 4, Angels 0

Anaheim, Calif.

John Burkett shut out Anaheim for eight innings before being ejected in the ninth.

Umpire John Hirschbeck ejected Burkett after he opened the ninth by throwing two pitches at Jim Edmonds, in apparent retaliation for Mike Bovee’s brushback pitch against Damon Buford in the top of the inning.

Kevin Brown hit his first major league home run for the Rangers.