Yanks' Clemens Sets AL Record

May 22, 1999 / 8:42 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Roger Clemens hasn't lost a game in nearly a year. Seems incredible, even to the five-time Cy Young winner.

Clemens set an American League record by winning his 18th straight decision Saturday, pitching the New York Yankees past the Chicago White Sox 10-2 in the opener of a doubleheader.

"To be undefeated for that long, it's pretty special," Clemens said. "You have to be good, you have to be lucky, you have to be consistent."

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Clemens (3-0) won in his first outing since April 27 and one day after he came off the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. He hasn't lost since May 29, 1998, when Seattle beat him while he was with Toronto.

"Obviously the guys have bailed me out in a couple of poor games I pitched," he said. "But I know along the way if you look back there, there are probably some games I could have won and maybe obtained the streak just as easily and earlier. What it means is that I'm doing things right."

Clemens moved past Cleveland's Johnny Allen (1936-37) and Baltimore's Dave McNally (1968-69), both of whom won 17 straight AL decisions. Clemens' streak includes 10 no-decisions.

The major league record for consecutive wins is 24 by Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants in 1936-37.

Clemens' victory was his 236th and tied him with another Yankee pitcher, White Ford, for 49th place on the career list.

"What a great name," Clemens said. "At this stage of my career when I approach the great ones, the Hall of Famers, the great old-timers, it's pretty mind boggling. I'm really happy about it. It's awesome."

Clemens left the April 27 game against Texas after two innings trailing 5-0 with the strained hamstring. After rigorous rehab, he came off the DL but then had to wait an extra day to start when Friday night's game was rained out.

He wasn't overpowering but was efficient and had good command of the strike zone.

"He was ready to pitch. I think last night having to turn it down and then having to turn it back up, he was ready to go," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "H wanted to pitch another inning."

Clemens allowed the White Sox six hits and two runs one earned

in six innings, walking just one and striking out four in an 89-pitch outing. He also showed that his legs are OK, falling to his knees to field a sacrifice bunt in the third inning.

"We all held our breath," Torre said.

"You dive for a ball like that and you want to make sure everything is all right after that," Clemens said. "I almost got a cramp in my right hamstring, it was almost crazy, and then it went away."

Jorge Posada hit a two-run homer and a three-run double for the Yankees. Tino Martinez and Bernie Williams also had two-run homers as New York ended the six-game winning streak of John Snyder (6-2).

"I went out there and left a lot of balls up and I made it easy for him to win," Snyder said.

Clemens gave up a first-inning run with two outs when Ray Durham singled and Frank Thomas reached on an infield hit. After a wild pitch, Durham scored when third baseman Scott Brosius fielded Magglio Ordonez's high hopper and threw in the dirt for an error.

Posada's two-run shot in the second followed a close call at first base. After Williams singled, Martinez grounded to first baseman Jeff Liefer, who threw to second for the force.

Snyder covered first and caught the relay for an apparent double play, but first-base umpire Tim Welke ruled the pitcher's foot wasn't on the bag. After Chili Davis flied out, Posada hit a liner over the wall in left-center for his fourth homer.

But Chicago tied it in the third as Chris Singleton singled, stole second and made it to third on Mike Caruso's sacrifice that Clemens picked up after going to both knees. Singleton then scored on Durham's grounder.

Martinez hit his sixth homer in the fourth and Williams his sixth in the fifth.

Posada added a three-run double in the eighth off reliever David Lundquist. Notes: Clemens said he plans to give Torre, bench coach Don Zimmer and catchers Joe Girardi and Posada game balls. ... With a third-inning single, New York's Derek Jeter has reached base safely in all 40 games this season. ... Torre says he's feeling fine and there are no problems with his energy level. Torre returned to the Yankees last Tuesday after missing the first 36 games following surgery for prostate cancer. "If I get tired, blame it on being 58, not anything else," Torre said. "I would have not come back if I hadn't felt 100 percent sure everything was OK." ... Snyder, who had beaten the Yankees last Saturday in New York, is still 13-4 since coming to the majors last June. He gave up eight hits and six runs Saturday. ... Catcher Mike Figga made his first appearance of the season for the Yankees.