News / Sports
“Rocket” Grounded: Roger Clemens Struggles in Second Start
Taking the mound for the second time since signing a $28 million contract with the New York Yankees, Roger Clemens showed a bit of rust in his Double-A start on Wednesday night.
While the three runs and six hits surrendered over 5 1/3 innings may not be reason for concern the four walks and tired legs have some people wondering.
Clemens was on the hill for New York’s Double-A Trenton Thunder squad and faced the Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A club for the Boston Red Sox. Initially Clemens had a 70-75 pitch count in mind but that was extended to 102 by the time he left in the sixth inning.
The seven-time Cy Young Award winner struck out five in the outing but he struggled with his control hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch to go along with his quartet of walks.
It is unclear if Clemens will now make the jump to the Yankees or if he will opt to get one more outing in with the Triple-A squad before appearing in the New York pinstripes.
Clemens was in line to lose the game but the Thunder rallied to pull off the win.
The start by Clemens attracted a record crowd of 9,134 at Waterfront Park in Trenton. A rehab assignment for Derek Jeter in 2003 brought in 8,729 for the previous high.
Roger Clemens has a career mark of 348-178, good enough for eighth all-time and his 4,604 strikeouts trails only Nolan Ryan who fanned 5,714 in his career.
