Grieving Clemens stifles Marlins

[Texsox]

mlb link

 

HOUSTON -- Roger Clemens' Astros teammates weren't surprised that The Rocket wanted to make his start on Wednesday, and they certainly weren't surprised with the outcome of the game.

 

Clemens, facing the Marlins in what many would argue was a must-win for the Astros, while simultaneously dealing with the devastation of losing his mother earlier in the day, threw 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing one run in Houston's 10-2 rout of Florida.

 

The Rocket's mind may have been elsewhere, but his right arm was exactly in the right place, and the Astros are now a half-game back in the National League Wild Card race, behind the co-leading Marlins and Phillies.

 

For this start, Clemens drew inspiration from the same source he turned to throughout his life -- his mother, Bess, who passed away early Wednesday morning from complications related to emphysema. In her final minutes, she did what she always did best -- reminded Roger that the show must go on.

 

"I told her last night, I needed to go to work," Clemens said. "She told me to go to work."

 

 

The guy is amazing. I've been really following his season down here in Texas. He should be a 20 game winner. They have been shut out in 8 of his starts and he has a .77 ERA in those games.

 

RIP Mrs. Clemens you raised a hell of a kid.