Call the medics.
Chris Clemons got bloodied in his first major-league start, both literally and figuratively. The former Texas A&M right-hander had to leave Saturday night’s game in the third inning because a blister on his finger kept him from getting a good grip on the ball.
By that time, the Anaheim Angels had already scored five runs en route to their 5-2 victory over the White Sox. They batted around in the second inning on the 24-year-old Clemons, who replaced the departed Danny Darwin in Team White Flag’s starting rotation.
While Anaheim maintained its half-game lead over Seattle in the American League West, the White Sox fell five games behind Cleveland in the Central. Their record dropped to 53-55, including a 10-13 mark since the All-Star break.
Clemons is the hardest thrower among the White Sox’s top tier of pitching prospects. He used his 92-m.p.h. fastball to get five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings but gave up a two-run home run to Garret Anderson on an 0-2 pitch in the five-run second inning. Three of his six walks came in the third inning, when the blister broke open.
Clemons next start is scheduled for Friday night in Seattle. He could be replaced by Jason Bere, who is scheduled to make his seventh appearance on his rehabilitation assignment Sunday.
While it was a trio of pitchers the White Sox traded away on Thursday, the lineup remains almost as problematic as the pitching staff. Chicago has scored more than four runs only once in the last seven games. Knuckleballer Dennis Springer (7-4) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, keeping quiet the lineup that produced only one run against lefty Allen Watson Friday.
Albert Belle remained in his luckless fog, going 0 for 4 to strand four runners. Belle is in a 4-for-36 slump and hasn’t had a multi-RBI game since July 14.
