BALTIMORE (AP) – Matt Clement scattered eight hits over eight innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat Rodrigo Lopez and the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 Thursday night to complete a two-game sweep.

Kevin Millar scored the game’s only run in the second inning after a throwing error by shortstop Miguel Tejada. That was enough to beat the Orioles, who were blanked in successive games for the first time since Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2003.

Melvin Mora had three hits for Baltimore, which has gone 21 straight innings without a run.

The victory enabled Boston to move out of a first-place deadlock with Baltimore in the AL East.

Signed as a free agent in December, Clement (2-0) struck out seven and walked one. The right-hander is 3-0 with an 0.89 ERA in three starts against Baltimore; he’s beaten them with Chicago, Florida and now with Boston.

Keith Foulke gave up a double to Javy Lopez with one out in the ninth before finishing the nine-hitter for his third save.

Clement outpitched Rodrigo Lopez (2-1), who gave up no earned runs, five hits and three walks. Lopez, who came in 8-3 against the Red Sox, probably deserved a better fate in this one.

Kevin Millar hit a leadoff double in the second and went to third when Tejada threw wildly to first after fielding Jason Varitek’s infield hit deep in the hole. After Edgar Reneria grounded out to third, Ramon Vazquez drove in a run with a groundout to second.

Baltimore had the potential tying run cut down at the plate in the fourth. Rafael Palmeiro reached on an infield hit and attempted to score on a double to right by Jay Gibbons, but was thrown out on a relay from Trot Nixon to Millar to Varitek at home.

The Orioles also threatened in the eighth. Mora got a two-out single and went to second on an infield hit by Tejada, but Clement completed his fine outing by retiring Sammy Sosa on bouncer to the mound.

Sosa went 1-for-2 with a walk.

Notes: The Red Sox have scored only three first-inning runs this season, but are the only team in the majors that hasn’t allowed a run in the first. … Baltimore’s Brian Roberts went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, his second straight hitless game after opening the season with a 14-game hitting streak. … Boston 3B Bill Mueller did not play because of a sinus infection.

AP-ES-04-21-05 2155EDT