SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Roger Clemens, making his first start this month, can establish a new American League record for consecutive wins tonight when the New York Yankees meet the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a three-game set. Clemens (2-0, 5.47 ERA) will be activated today after spending more than three weeks on the disabled list with a strained hamstring. He left his last start on April 27 at Texas due to the injury. Clemens yielded five runs in that outing but his teammates got him off the hook with a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the Rangers. The defending two-time Cy Young winner has not lost a decision since May 29, 1998 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. His 17 consecutive wins ties him with Baltimore's Dave McNally from 1968-69 and Cleveland's Johnny Allen from 1936-37 for the AL mark. Orlando Hernandez pitched eight solid innings and Bernie Williams drove in a pair of runs as the Yankees salvaged the finale of a three-game set with Boston, 3-1, on Thurday. New York has dropped eight of its last 11 games and enters tonight's game one-half game behind the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL East. The White Sox, who are below the .500 mark for the first time since April 18, have lost four in a row including a three-game sweep against Cleveland. Chicago was outscored, 39-16 by the Indians. Chicago ace John Snyder (6-1, 2.00) has won six straight starts and although he is no immediate threat to Clemens' streak, pitched six solid innings in a 12-4 victory at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Chicago took two of three games in that series, outscoring the Yankees, 20-6 in winning the first two. Rookie Carlos Lee has three homers and 11 RBI in his first nine games with Chicago.  