Rocket fires at NL's Murderer's Row

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Posted: Wednesday July 08, 1998 01:33 AM

Special sauce: Clemens continued his domination of Mark McGwire, striking him out in the third inning. Big Mac is just 4-for-48 lifetime against Clemens (Brian Bahr/Allsport)

DENVER (AP) -- Years from now, Roger Clemens will tell his grandkids about that third inning in the 1998 All-Star game when he faced three future fellow Hall of Famers.

Clemens came into his seventh All-Star appearance having struck out 52 of the 61 players at this year's event. And in one inning Tuesday night, he pitched to an All-Star Murderer's Row -- Tony Gwynn, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds -- all with the bases loaded.

That's 32 All-Star appearances, eight NL batting titles, dozens of monster home runs and three MVPs to contend with.

"It was great to be here with all these great players," Clemens said. "It was exciting to face Big Mac, especially when there are runners on base because you can feel the electricity in the stadium."

Clemens allowed just two runs in his one inning, and finished with one of the night's better pitching lines as the AL went on to a 13-8 victory over the NL.

After AL starter David Wells of the New York Yankees pitched two perfect innings, it was Clemens' turn to try to keep the ball inside Coors Field.

With the game scoreless, Clemens, making his second All-Star appearance for the Toronto Blue Jays, walked Colorado's Larry Walker to open the third and then gave up a bloop hit to left by Atlanta shortstop Walt Weiss.

Braves pitcher Tom Glavine moved the runners up with a sacrifice, and when Clemens hit Houston's Craig Biggio, the bases were full and there was no place to hide.

Gwynn brought in two runs with a single up the middle that deflected off the glove of diving second baseman Roberto Alomar, and then it was Clemens vs. McGwire in a matchup of two of baseball's most powerful players.

Clemens got McGwire, who grounded out in his first at-bat, to swing through an outside fastball for strike three.

"I was lucky enough to get a couple of pitches by him," Clemens said.

"He went right at me," McGwire said. "He threw me a couple of pretty good fastballs and a slider away."

Clemens got lucky with Bonds as well.

He got the San Francisco Giants' outfielder to swing under a fastball, hitting it high in the air. Clemens immediately pointed at what he thought was a routine popup but had to hold his breath as Bonds' shot carried to the warning track in left that was caught by Cleveland's Kenny Lofton.

"I was a bit nervous there for a moment," he said.

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