Red Sox Blasted, 8-1

BOSTON--Mike Witt pitched a five-hitter and the California Angels jolted Boston ace Roger Clemens for four runs in the second inning last night to beat the Red Sox, 8-1, in the first game of the American League playoffs.

Clemens, pitching for the first time since being struck on the right elbow by a line drive last week, could not find his rhythm early on the clear, 50-degree night.

Brian Downing drove in four runs for the Angels who scored more runs against Clemens than any team this year. They pounded him for 10 hits and eight runs, seven earned, in 7-1/3 innings.

Witt, meanwhile, flirted with the first no-hitter in playoff history, holding the Red Sox hitless for 5-2/3 innings before Wade Boggs beat out an infield chopper to third for a single. The hit broke a string of 16 straight batters retired by Witt after walkingBoggs, the major league batting champion, leadingoff the first.

By the time Boggs got his hit, however, Wittand the Angels had the game in control--and theycoasted the rest of the way in the the opener ofthe best-of-seven series. Game 2 is scheduled for3:05 p.m. today.

Clemens, the most dominant pitcher in baseballthis season with a 24-4 record--including a 3-0mark against the Angels--came out throwing hardwith fastballs exceeding 95 m.p.h. He escaped atwo-on, two-out jam in the first inning byretiring Doug DeCinces on a drive to thecenter-field wall, and opened the second by easilystriking out Rob Wilfong and Dick Schofield.

But then Clemens, averaging just over two walksper game this season, ran into trouble.

He walked Bob Boone on a 3-1 pitch and narrowlymissed on a full-count delivery to Gary Pettis.

Ruppert Jones followed with a line single upthe middle and rookie Wally Joyner, who haddoubled in the first inning, sliced an RBI doubleinto the left-field corner that made it 2-0,California.

After Clemens threw ball one to Brian Downing,Red Sox Pitching Coach Bill Fischer walkedhurriedly to the mound to talk with his strugglingace. With the visit over--and Sammy Stewartwarming up for Boston in the bullpen--Downinglined a two-run single into the left-field corner.

By the time Clemens finished striking outReggie Jackson, he had thrown 45 pitches in thesecond inning--and had been rocked for four runsin a frame for only the second time this season.

While the crowd of 32,993 sat in stunnedsilence, the Angels scored again in the third.Shortstop Spike Owen made a high throw for anerror on Wilfong's one-out grounder, and singlesby Boone and Pettis increased the lead to 5-0.Pettis had been 0-for-9 against Clemens until thehit.

Witt, given a big cushion, breezed through theBoston batting order.

Witt walked Owen with two outs in the sixth,snapping his string of 16 consecutive battersretired. Boggs followed with his high chopper toDeCinces, who fielded it while charging from thirdbut had no play.

Boggs, who sat out the final four games of theseason with a right hamstring injury, ran harddown the baseline and was limping noticeably aftercrossing first base.

Marty Barrett then lined a single to right,driving home Owen with what turned out to beBoston's only run. Witt ended the inning bygetting Bill Buckner on a fly ball, and went on torecord a complete game. He finished with two walksand three strikeouts on the night