GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: NY YANKEES (36-38) at BALTIMORE (33-43)

Bedard, Huff deny Clemens win No. 350

<h3>BALTIMORE 4, NY YANKEES 0</h3>BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees' opponents are doingtheir best to make sure Roger Clemens cannot reach anothermilestone.

Erik Bedard pitched seven solid innings and Aubrey Huff homeredoff Clemens as the Baltimore Orioles posted a 4-0 victory overthe New York Yankees on Wednesday.

Clemens, whose 22 wins against Baltimore are the most any activepitcher has against the Orioles, was denied in his quest tobecome the eighth pitcher in baseball history to win 350 gamesfor the third time. To add insult to injury, New York hasscored just two runs for him in his three starts.

"We certainly know we're better than this and you don't have tothink back too far to know we're better than this," New Yorkmanager Joe Torre said. "Right now, we're in a funk and itspuzzling for everybody concerned."

Bedard (6-4), who leads the majors in 129 strikeouts, had hisway all game against the slumping YankeeS bats, striking outeight - marking the 10th time in 17 starts he has struck outthat many - and holding the potent New York offense to two runsor less for the third straight contest. The lefthander yieldedjust two hits and one walk, retiring the final seven batters hefaced before departing after 108 pitches.

"He was throwing strikes," Baltimore catcher Ramon Hernandezsaid. "He was getting ahead of hitters and then he makes themchase. He was making pitches where he needs to tonight. He gota couple of guys with 3-2 breaking balls and punched out acouple of guys with fastballs. He was hitting his spots."

Huff followed a RBI single from Ramon Hernandez, blowing open apitchers' duel with a three-run blast off Clemens (1-3) toextend the Baltimore advantage to 4-0. The home run was the30-year-old's first homer since May 9, breaking a span of 143at-bats without a home run, the longest of his career.

"My swing has been kind of messed up," Huff said. "I have beengetting hits the other way and the double (line drive) swing isthere, but my home run swing has not really been coming thisyear. I can't really explain it but when I do hit one, I feel aclick and whether I feel it tomorrow or a month from now, we'llsee."

Clemens surrendered four runs and seven hits with three walks,failing to strike a batter out for the first time after 200consecutive starts with at least one strikeout. The last timethe 11-time All-Star did not record a strikeout was in aone-inning start on June 14, 2000, against the Boston Red Sox.

"I was trying to be stingy the whole game," Clemens said. "Thatis my fault. I've been in tons of those games like that andyou just want to minimize what they are doing out there and keep(the) momentum."

The Yankees were able to mount a threat in the ninth, as NewYork put runners on first and second with one out againstreliever Chad Bradford. However, the submariner struck outJorge Posada and forced Bobby Abreu into a weak groundout tofirst to preserve the shutout.

"We haven't been able to put anything together," Torre said."The last inning was the biggest rally we had of the night. Wejust have to be tougher outs than we are right now."