Posted on 04/24/2005 8:20:36 AM PDT by Enterprise1788
ST. LOUIS - Roger Clemens stepped out of the trainer's room Saturday afternoon with ice wraps around his right elbow, right shoulder and lower back.
The greatness the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer exhibits on the mound takes a toll on his body.
The wraps made it easy to see where the soreness would be. But it wasn't as easy to see the exhausting mental drain Clemens absorbed while trying to beat the Cardinals with a listless offense on his side at Busch Stadium.
Yet again, the Astros failed to capitalize on seven scoreless innings from Clemens, who settled for a no-decision as Larry Walker hit a single to center to give St. Louis a 1-0 victory in 10 innings.
For the third consecutive start, Clemens pitched seven scoreless innings, but for his third consecutive start, the Astros lost 1-0 in extra innings.
"I think my body was a little more run down than in the first three starts," said Clemens, who has watched his teammates lose his starts in 11, 12 and 10 innings since winning his first start of the season. "I know it's a fact your body feels different. You can win these games 6-1, and mentally it's not as hard on your body.
"Again, I'll do the things to prepare and get ready for my next start and be ready for that challenge again."
Clemens held the Cardinals to four hits and four walks with six strikeouts, extending his scoreless-inning streak to 23 innings.
St. Louis lefthander Mark Mulder (2-1) countered with 10 scoreless innings of four-hit ball with five strikeouts to give the Cardinals a chance to sweep the three-game series today.
"That's a great (St. Louis) lineup, so it just shows you how amazing Roger is and what he was doing," said Jason Lane, who was 1-for-4. "For us to not be able to scratch a run across for him is frustrating. But their guy was tough, too.
"I don't know many lineups that would have put up a bunch of hits with the way (Mulder) was throwing today. He was changing speeds, in and out, hitting spots. He had good stuff."
Chad Qualls relieved Clemens to start the eighth inning and forced extra innings before a crowd of 40,058. Reggie Sanders hit for Mulder (who threw 101 pitches) to leadoff the 10th and hit a tapper toward the third-base side for an infield single.
Sanders reached second on David Eckstein's groundout to second, prompting Astros manager Phil Garner to call on closer Brad Lidge. Walker greeted Lidge with a walk-off RBI single to center.
"Obviously Roger threw a great game, and Mark Mulder pitched incredibly," Lidge said. "That's kind of the story of the game, those guys battling. At some point, it's going to come down to the bullpens to see who gives in first. Unfortunately, they got to us."
Officially, Qualls (1-2) goes down as the losing pitcher, but the Astros realize the inept offense deserves the blame for wasting another brilliant performance from Clemens, who lowered his ERA to 0.32.
Despite throwing seven scoreless innings in each of his last three starts, Clemens remains tied with Steve Carlton for ninth place on the all-time victories list with 329.
Clemens has given up only one run through 28 innings this season, but his teammates have scored only three runs in games he has started. Since he drove in two of those runs in the sixth inning of his first start, the Astros have gone 35 consecutive innings without scoring a run in games Clemens has started.
If this were high school baseball, Clemens could follow his eldest son's lead. Koby Clemens did it all Friday night for Memorial High, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs while throwing a no-hitter in a 12-0 five-inning rout against Eisenhower.
But Roger Clemens pitches in the majors, where he needs teammates to contribute. Although Clemens' mound presence makes him seem invincible at times, each tight contest takes a toll.
"Especially when you know they have the last swing and the type of hitters they have, there's no doubt about it," said Clemens, who threw 126 pitches. "Your body just reacts differently. I can throw 120 pitches and win 5-1, 5-2, and not feel as bad as I will tomorrow.
"My body will feel it tomorrow, and I'll do the work that I need to do to make sure I get everything healed up and ready to go again."
Clemens worked out of bases-loaded jams in the first and third innings before settling in. He walked Scott Rolen to load the bases with two outs in the first inning, escaping unscathed when Roger Cedeño lined out to center.
After collecting the first two outs in the third, Clemens gave up a single to Albert Pujols and consecutive walks to Jim Edmonds and Rolen to load the bases again for Cedeño.
Cedeño stranded the bases loaded with a slow roller to Clemens, who took the grounder and tossed to catcher Brad Ausmus for the force at home.
"We didn't do a good job offensively. Obviously," Garner said. "I think (Mulder) pitched a pretty decent game, but we swung at a lot of balls that if we lay off of some of those, maybe it's a different story."
Clemens would gladly trade a higher ERA and keep the no-decisions if it meant another teammate earned the victory in relief.
"We lost, and I think that's the thing that's upsetting," Clemens said. "I've got enough wins by my name, so I'm not concerned about that. When you're able to go deep into these games and keep them close, especially on the road, you'd like to take advantage of that."
BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer
I seem to remember that ole Popeye was the one who went off charging towards Pedro while throwing punches. You can't have it both ways; if you're going to act all crazy and start throwing haymakers around you can't hide behind an "I'm just an old man arguement" when your intended target takes issue with it. Not saying that Pedro is a saint or anything but nothing would have ever happened if Zimmer didn't decide it would be a good idea to go after him.
Clemens and John Smoltz need to pitch against each other so one of them will eventually win a game...
Zimmer throwing a haymaker? ROFL. You can't have it both ways Zimmer isn't Sonny Liston and Pedro is one of the biggest punks that designated hitters ever created. Watch him in the National League. Lets see how many people he hits knowing he has to come to the plate. He's a super PUNK.
If Zimmer isn't Sonny Liston then he shouldn't have been acting like him and throwing punches at people. If he wants to be respected as an old man than he doesn't need to be running around like a fool and charging people. You say that Pedro is a punk yet convieniently overlook the simple fact that the only thing Zimmer had to do to avoid being pushed aside (the horror, the horror!) was to not go acting like an idiot and throw punches at someone in the middle of a bench clearing brawl. Only a moron would do that and not expect anything to happen to them. Is he supposed to get free license to run around and smack anybody he wants because he's an old man? I guess Pedro should have stood there and let Zimmer get a good shot in and split his lip.
And as for Pedro in the National League, I think you should watch a few games because he has been nothing short of dominating in every time he has pitched so far this year.
Besides, this whole thread is about Roger Clemens so why are you bringing up Pedro Martinez?
I guess you're just being a troll.
Who the hell are you to decide what this thread is or isn't all about. IMHO it's about Baseball Punkdom and in IMHO when you bring up Baseball Punkdom that automatically brings Pedro, the King of Baseball Punkdom' into the conversation. If you don't like it fine, don't respond to my posts.
I guess you're just being a troll.
ESBAM.
yawn
It was the "old man with a steel plate in his head" who went after Pedro. Pedro simply pushed him to the ground. Most players would've probably done the same thing if they had been in Pedro's situation.
Now that's the most intelligent thing you've had to say. No doubt ESBAM is tiring.
I watched this game and Roger was good, but Mulder was better. And the beauty is the Cards swept them. Gonna be a long season for the 'Stro's if they don't revive the offense.
Whatever you say troll
Roger Clemens' petty detractors won't be remembered. Roger and his records will live on forever. We're just grateful to have him back in his home state.
I have lived in the Housotn Aera for all my life. And there historically is nothing like a Houston sports team to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Believe it or not, I think Boston has first refusal of a Clemens trade. Last year the Astros placed him on waivers briefly, and Boston was the only team that made a pitch (a pitiful one - but enough that should a trade come up, Boston has the rights)
Not completely sure about trading nuances in the Big Leagues, but remember this as a discussion last year on the Boston sports pages.
Thanks ESBAM, I'm glad you finally agree with me.
If he wanted to be on a winning team he should have stayed with the Yankees.
Hey Mulder is no rag arm, it goes both ways you know.
Sorry, but the best pitcher Boston has had since Cy Young, will be on the Hill tonight at Shea.
I’m a born in Boston, life time Red Sox fan and a Clemens fan. He signed a ball for me at Memorial Stadium in 1987.
Clemens haters are stupid or ill informed. If you want to blame someone for his leaving Boston, blame Red Sox management.
The reason why he throws at people is because he has to. Lowered mounds, juiced balls, closer fences and batters wearing more armor than Sir Galahad leave him with few other options. If you want him to go up there and throw BP, fine; just stop calling it baseball and call it home run derby.
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