| | BOSTON -- Can't win the big one, that's what they say in Boston
about Roger Clemens.
Couldn't win it during 11 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, can't
win it now with the New York Yankees.
|  | | The fans gave Clemens a nice "cheer" when he was removed from the game. |
He has five Cy Young Awards, but no World Series rings, the only
gem he says he ever really wanted.
From Clemens' very first batter Saturday, it was a party at
Fenway Park, and he was the pinata as Red Sox fans celebrated a
13-1 victory that pulled them to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series.
"My emotions were under control," Clemens insisted, repeatedly
saying this game was no different than any other. "I always want
to pitch well. Makes no difference if it's here or there."
But some in the Yankees' clubhouse weren't so sure.
"He shuts things out, but I think the crowd may have affected
him," Yankees pitching coach Mel Sottlemyre said.
They booed when Clemens warmed up in the bullpen, a passionate
angry roar directed toward one of their own who had defected and
joined the enemy.
They booed again when he walked out to the mound, already deep
in shadows as brilliant autumn sunshine lighted up the old
grandstands, filled with fans longing for their team's first World
Series title since 1918.
|
“ |
He shuts things
out, but I think the crowd may have affected him. ” |
|
|
— Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre |
"Rog-er, Rog-er" they sang again and again, a slow singsong
designed to make sure he appreciated the magnitude of their
disdain.
Clemens said he shut it out.
"Anytime you're in a visiting stadium, it's going to be loud,
so you just get used to that," he said.
Boston's Nomar Garciaparra agreed.
"I don't think it got into his head," he said. "He's such a
competitor."
Just two pitches in, the booing abruptly ended, replaced by
cheers as Jose Offerman's leadoff drive sailed over the head of
Paul O'Neill in right, caroming off the low fence and back toward
the infield as Offerman sped to third.
Five pitches later, John Valentin lofted the ball toward the
Green Monster and out it went, over the 37-foot fence and into the
23-foot screen.
Some fans were still walking in, and already Clemens was behind
2-0.
"I felt great," Clemens said. "Bullpen and everything went
pretty well. My velocity was pretty good."
The crowd felt even better.
"Rog-er, Rog-er" they kept singing as he finally retired the
side.
Then in the second came a double by Trot Nixon, a single by
Offerman, an RBI grounder by Valentin and a run-scoring double by
Nomar Garciaparra. By then, Hideki Irabu was starting to warm up in
the bullpen.
Mike Stanley started the third with a single, and Clemens threw
a first-pitch strike to Brian Daubach, his 61st pitch of the
afternoon. It turned out to be his last.
As Clemens gave manager Joe Torre the ball and walked off the
mound, back to the Yankees' dugout on the third-base side, the fans
started booing, wanting to leave him with the sound of their hate
in his ears.
"No sense in using him all the way up," Torre said.
To fans, the 247-134 regular-season record and 3,316 strikeouts
don't matter. They remember that he went 1-2 in nine postseason
starts for Boston, and that new hero Pedro Martinez, who struck out
12 and allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings Saturday,
already is 3-0 in his career during the playoffs.
"I've thrown the ball well in postseason play," Clemens said
when asked about the disparity.
Seconds after they started booing Clemens again, what had
happened suddenly struck them. They started cheering for Boston, a
loud release that reverberated out to Kenmore Square and on to the
Back Bay.
Clemens' line read: five runs, six hits, just two innings
pitched. By the seventh inning, when the score reached 13-0, the
chant had changed to, "Where is Roger?"
For once, Red Sox fans dreamed the dream and it came true.
| |
ALSO SEE
Yankees vs. Red Sox series page
All Pedro, all Sox: Boston wins Game 3, 13-1
Home, sweet Fenway: Sox thrive at home
 |
