Lefty Denies Clemens Win No. 350: Orioles 4, Yankees 0
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 28, 2007
BALTIMORE, June 27 -- There would be no torch passing at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday night, if for no other reason than because Roger Clemens and Erik Bedard have so little in common. Clemens is a Texan, as big and American as the state that reared him; Bedard grew up in Ontario. Clemens, a right-hander, complements his legendary fastball best with a splitter; Bedard, a lefty, favors a power curveball.
Still, for those fond of symbolism, Wednesday night delivered. For years, if you wanted a fireballing, strikeout machine from the American League East, you'd pick Clemens. Today, as he proved in a 4-0 Baltimore Orioles victory over the New York Yankees, Bedard would be the choice.
"What a matchup," Orioles interim manager Dave Trembley said after his team beat the Yankees for the fourth time in five games this season. "For him to bring his game to the level he did tonight, knowing who he was facing, with Mr. Clemens and the New York Yankees, I think says something about what we got with Erik Bedard."
The lefty hurled seven masterful innings, striking out eight, allowing two hits and denying Clemens the opportunity to become the first pitcher to win his 350th game since Warren Spahn in 1963. Bedard (who now has 33 career wins) staked his claim early, striking out the first four batters he faced in the vaunted Yankees lineup. Clemens struck out none, ending his streak of 200 starts with at least one.
Aubrey Huff provided enough firepower for Bedard with a three-run home run, his first homer since May 9. But Bedard, without question, was the story. He is, at 28, a burgeoning star. He defeated a star who, at 44, seems to be fading.
Bedard is typically oblivious to his counterpart, regardless of who it is. Growing up in Canada, there were no posters of baseball players on his walls. If he did care about throwing opposite Clemens, he certainly didn't show it, nor did he stick around to talk about the accomplishment -- he bolted the clubhouse before reporters arrived.
"That's just his style," Huff said. "He's not a really big talker. I love the way he goes about his business. I hated facing him in Tampa. Real electric. The ball looks harder than 94 [mph] when you're facing him. He's not fist-pumping out there, calm as can be."
Bedard started the game by striking out Johnny Damon, who looked at a 92-mph fastball on the outside corner. Derek Jeter swung over a 79-mph curve for strike three. Hideki Matsui followed by looking at a 93-mph heater. Alex Rodriguez started the second by looking at a curve for strike three.
Only three Yankees starters -- Bobby Abreu, Melky Cabrera and Miguel Cairo -- did not strike out against Bedard, who threw 108 pitches, 72 for strikes. He struck out Jeter and Rodriguez twice each, the largest roar of the night from the 35,776 in attendance coming when Jeter swung over a curve for the third strike in the sixth.
Bedard entered the game leading the AL in strikeouts, and he stretched his total to 128, more than the likes Johan Santana and C.C. Sabathia. He also entered with a growing reputation -- after his last start, San Diego Padres Manager Bud Black called him one of the three best lefties in baseball.
"I don't get impressed anymore," his catcher, Ramon Hernandez, said.
Bedard allowed the Yankees only a pair of singles, to Jorge Posada and Matsui, and a walk to Robinson Cano. No Yankee even reached second base until the ninth inning. For a while, Clemens matched him, allowing no runs for five innings on three hits.
Clemens owns unparalleled credentials, the greatest pitcher of his generation and perhaps any other. Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, 23, wears No. 21 because Clemens was his childhood idol. "He's 'the Rocket,' " Trembley said. "That's what he's going in the Hall of Fame as, and there's a reason for it."
But no matter his $1 million-per-start salary or his seven Cy Young awards, Clemens is still 44 years old. Not even legends, at some point, are immune to age.
"It's my fault," Clemens said. "You could see how the game is breaking down, and I've been in hundreds of those types of games."
Clemens, 1-3 this season, watched his night unravel in the sixth inning, which began with the Yankees trainer visiting the big right-hander. The first three Orioles reached, with Chris Gomez starting the rally with a sharp single through the middle, followed by a walk to Markakis and an RBI single from Hernandez.
The brought Huff to the plate, nursing a homerless week going on seven weeks. That ended with a swat at a 90-mph fastball from Clemens. It dropped three rows over the fence in left-center, 358 feet from home plate. As Clemens turned quickly toward the umpire and gestured for a new ball, the Orioles led 4-0.
"You remember them off a guy like that," Huff said. "That was the second one. Both opposite field. Can't catch up to him."
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