Clemens takes mound despite mother’s death
BALL BUZZ Astro makes start in her honour Braves’ Jones clubs 50th homer
Roger Clemens stared momentarily at the ground before throwing his first pitch. He knew his mother would have wanted him on the mound. The Houston Astros ace made his scheduled start last night and allowed one run in 61⁄ innings in a 10-2 win over the Florida Marlins, pitching in honour of his mother after she died early that morning.
Bess Clemens died in Georgetown, Tex., of complications from emphysema. She was 75.
After the final out, a tribute to Clemens’ mother was shown on the giant video screen, and Astros players — though Clemens wasn’t among the group — stood in the infield and watched. The seven- time Cy Young Award winner often spoke of his affection for his mother and how much he hoped she would be able to attend his hall of fame induction. His stepfather died when he was young, and his mother has been an inspiration.
“ I don’t want to speak to two empty chairs,” he said last year.
His mother did throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a Yankees game in August 2003.
“ It was great. They should have let her stay on the mound. She had better stuff than I had,” Clemens said. O-DOGGONE IT:
Injured second baseman Orlando Hudson likely won’t be playing for the Blue Jays this weekend as had been hoped. Hudson missed his sixth straight game last night with a sprained ankle and has yet to take part in any fielding drills.
“ He’s still not ready,’’ manager John Gibbons said yesterday. MILESTONE FOR JONES:
Atlanta’s Andruw Jones hit his 50th homer in the eighth inning last night against the Phillies, becoming the first major leaguer to reach that mark since Alex Rodriguez ( 57) and Jim Thome ( 52) in 2002. Jones’s homer, the 300th of his career, was a solo shot to left off Geoff Geary. The 28-year-old became the 12th major leaguer to hit 300 homers before his 30th birthday.