Aug. 3, 2005, 8:47AM
Father Time, D-Backs meet their match
Age? Back? No problem as Clemens rings up 338th victory
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
PHOENIX - Two hours before the first pitch, Astros manager Phil Garner put his hands over his ears and made a constant buzzing noise. He refused to even entertain the possibility of Roger Clemens not starting Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Garner was right. The Astros had no reason for concern.
Casting aside the back problems that bothered him last week, Clemens led the Astros to a 3-1 victory over Arizona at Bank One Ballpark.
Clemens, who struck out eight and walked one over seven innings, limited the Diamondbacks to four hits and one run on Chad Tracy's homer in the first inning. Mike Gallo handled the eighth, and Brad Lidge took care of the ninth for his 27th save.
After stranding a runner in scoring position in the eighth, the Diamondbacks made it interesting in the ninth when Shawn Green followed Troy Glaus' single with a line drive to right field. Eric Bruntlett made a diving catch and doubled up Glaus at first to end the game.
After giving up two hits in the first inning, Clemens, who turns 43 on Thursday, held Arizona to two hits over the next six innings before a crowd of 31,696 to win for the seventh time in eight decisions since June 5.
"Just another seven innings and one run," Garner said. "You guys just keep that part of the story and just change the date."
Clemens' 338th career victory denied Arizona a chance to collect victories over 300-game winners in consecutive games. The Diamondbacks, who were off Monday, beat Greg Maddux and the Cubs on Sunday.
"I guess it's rare," Clemens said of Arizona facing 300-game winners in back-to-back games. "You don't see that happening very often."
A team had not faced back-to-back 300-game winners since July 24-25, 1987, when Cleveland sent Hall of Famers Steve Carlton (328) and Phil Niekro (318) out on consecutive nights against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers won both games.
Arizona righthander Claudio Vargas couldn't keep up with Clemens despite a career-high nine strikeouts. Vargas gave up seven hits and three runs with three walks over 7 1/3 innings.
With one out in the first, Tracy ripped Clemens' 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall, giving Arizona a lead that lasted until the fifth inning.
"My first split of the game was not a good one," Clemens said. "And that's what a major-league hitter does to a very average split. ... I'd like to say it got my attention a little bit."
Brad Ausmus led off the fifth with a single, and Clemens sacrificed him to second with a bunt. Ausmus reached third on Willy Taveras' groundout, and Craig Biggio tied the score at 1 with a two-out single to center.
Clemens survived a scare in the bottom of the fifth when Chris Snyder drilled a 1-1 pitch for what appeared to be a solo home run over the wall in right. First base umpire Terry Craft ruled it a foul, and nobody from the Diamondbacks argued the call. Given a reprieve, Clemens struck out Snyder.
Vargas paid for issuing a one-walk to Mike Lamb in the sixth inning. After Orlando Palmeiro flied out, Adam Everett steered a hard grounder between third baseman Glaus and the bag for a tiebreaking double.
The Diamondbacks countered with a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth when Tracy hit a one-out double to left-center field. Clemens escaped that threat as Luis Gonzalez lined out to third and Tony Clark flied out to left.
Lamb lined a 3-2 pitch to right for a home run, giving the Astros a 3-1 lead in the eighth and marking the end for Vargas.
Reliever Lance Cormier was greeted by consecutive singles from Palmeiro and Everett, putting runners at the corners for Ausmus. Bruntlett, who was running for Palmeiro, was thrown out 2-4-2 at home attempting a double steal. Ausmus grounded to second to end the inning.
jesus.ortiz@chron.com
Father Time, D-Backs meet their match
Age? Back? No problem as Clemens rings up 338th victory
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
PHOENIX - Two hours before the first pitch, Astros manager Phil Garner put his hands over his ears and made a constant buzzing noise. He refused to even entertain the possibility of Roger Clemens not starting Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Garner was right. The Astros had no reason for concern.
Casting aside the back problems that bothered him last week, Clemens led the Astros to a 3-1 victory over Arizona at Bank One Ballpark.
Clemens, who struck out eight and walked one over seven innings, limited the Diamondbacks to four hits and one run on Chad Tracy's homer in the first inning. Mike Gallo handled the eighth, and Brad Lidge took care of the ninth for his 27th save.
After stranding a runner in scoring position in the eighth, the Diamondbacks made it interesting in the ninth when Shawn Green followed Troy Glaus' single with a line drive to right field. Eric Bruntlett made a diving catch and doubled up Glaus at first to end the game.
After giving up two hits in the first inning, Clemens, who turns 43 on Thursday, held Arizona to two hits over the next six innings before a crowd of 31,696 to win for the seventh time in eight decisions since June 5.
"Just another seven innings and one run," Garner said. "You guys just keep that part of the story and just change the date."
Clemens' 338th career victory denied Arizona a chance to collect victories over 300-game winners in consecutive games. The Diamondbacks, who were off Monday, beat Greg Maddux and the Cubs on Sunday.
"I guess it's rare," Clemens said of Arizona facing 300-game winners in back-to-back games. "You don't see that happening very often."
A team had not faced back-to-back 300-game winners since July 24-25, 1987, when Cleveland sent Hall of Famers Steve Carlton (328) and Phil Niekro (318) out on consecutive nights against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers won both games.
Arizona righthander Claudio Vargas couldn't keep up with Clemens despite a career-high nine strikeouts. Vargas gave up seven hits and three runs with three walks over 7 1/3 innings.
With one out in the first, Tracy ripped Clemens' 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall, giving Arizona a lead that lasted until the fifth inning.
"My first split of the game was not a good one," Clemens said. "And that's what a major-league hitter does to a very average split. ... I'd like to say it got my attention a little bit."
Brad Ausmus led off the fifth with a single, and Clemens sacrificed him to second with a bunt. Ausmus reached third on Willy Taveras' groundout, and Craig Biggio tied the score at 1 with a two-out single to center.
Clemens survived a scare in the bottom of the fifth when Chris Snyder drilled a 1-1 pitch for what appeared to be a solo home run over the wall in right. First base umpire Terry Craft ruled it a foul, and nobody from the Diamondbacks argued the call. Given a reprieve, Clemens struck out Snyder.
Vargas paid for issuing a one-walk to Mike Lamb in the sixth inning. After Orlando Palmeiro flied out, Adam Everett steered a hard grounder between third baseman Glaus and the bag for a tiebreaking double.
The Diamondbacks countered with a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth when Tracy hit a one-out double to left-center field. Clemens escaped that threat as Luis Gonzalez lined out to third and Tony Clark flied out to left.
Lamb lined a 3-2 pitch to right for a home run, giving the Astros a 3-1 lead in the eighth and marking the end for Vargas.
Reliever Lance Cormier was greeted by consecutive singles from Palmeiro and Everett, putting runners at the corners for Ausmus. Bruntlett, who was running for Palmeiro, was thrown out 2-4-2 at home attempting a double steal. Ausmus grounded to second to end the inning.
jesus.ortiz@chron.com
