People

By Guy D. Garcia

It was not until the top of the ninth at Boston's Fenway Park last week that fellow Red Sox Pitcher Al Nipper asked Roger Clemens if he knew he needed only two more strikeouts to set an all-time record. Clemens didn't know, but the news was inspiring. "That entire inning was all adrenaline," recalls the Ohio-born right-hander, who rared back and got the two more Ks, to beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 and, more important, to become the first player to record 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Clemens, who eight months ago had arthroscopic shoulder surgery, did it with a 97-m.p.h. fast ball and no walks. The old mark of 19 was jointly held by Nolan Ryan (1974), Tom Seaver (1970), Steve Carlton (1969) and Charlie Sweeney (1884). "Personally, it hasn't quite hit me yet," says Clemens, 23, who is apparently slower than the public in that respect. Next morning, Red Sox fans were in line bright and early to buy tickets for the next appearance of the new King of K.