Clemens passes Lefty, Piazza passes Pudge

[Steff]

Clemens Passes Carlton; Piazza Sets Record

By The Associated Press

 

Roger Clemens has only Nolan Ryan ahead of him on the career strikeouts list. Mike Piazza, meanwhile, has every major league catcher looking up at him now.

 

Clemens moved into second place on the career strikeouts list behind fellow Houston-area native Ryan, and became the first six-game winner in the majors, leading the Astros over Pittsburgh 6-2 on Wednesday night.

 

 

"This is where I grew up," Clemens said, nearly breaking down in tears after the game. "There were people in the park tonight who watched me in high school. I'm happy I got to get it in front of them."

 

 

Piazza set a major league mark for home runs as a catcher, breaking Carlton Fisk's record with his 352nd in the New York Mets (news)' 8-2 victory over San Francisco.

 

 

"It's maybe a little more significant at catcher because of the physical demands of the position," Piazza said. "Just relief, because I wanted to get it done and just move on. It's a little bit of a crossroads for me."

 

 

It was ironic that Piazza and Clemens reached their milestones on the same night. The two developed a rivalry when Clemens beaned Piazza during the 2000 season. It escalated later that year in the Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees, when Clemens threw part of a shattered bat in front of Piazza.

 

 

On this night, though, they both just made baseball history.

 

 

"I'm very proud of this," Piazza said. "It's just a thrill."

 

 

In other games, it was Florida 2, Los Angeles 0; Colorado 2, Montreal 0; Philadelphia 5, St. Louis 4; San Diego 2, Atlanta 0; Cincinnati 5, Milwaukee 4 in 10 innings; and Arizona 2, Chicago 0.

 

 

At Houston, Clemens (6-0) struck out Raul Mondesi swinging in the fifth inning to pass Hall of Fame left-hander Steve Carlton with No. 4,137. He finished the night with nine strikeouts to run his career total to 4,140 — 1,574 behind Ryan.

 

 

"I think what (Ryan) did was amazing," Clemens said. "Obviously, I won't make it that long. Right now, I'm mentally drained from the game I just had. It seems to get tougher and tougher."

 

 

He won his 316th career game, putting him only two behind Phil Niekro for 14th place. He gave up two runs on five hits.

 

 

"(Clemens) is one of those rare cats to pitch as long as he has and put up all those crooked numbers," Astros manager Jimy Williams said.

 

 

Kip Wells (2-4) dropped his third straight start, allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings in losing to his boyhood idol.

 

 

At New York, Piazza drove a 3-1 pitch from Jerome Williams off the bottom of the scoreboard in right-center in the first inning for a 1-0 Mets lead — and the record for catchers.

 

 

Piazza kept the ball as a souvenir, but his bat is headed to the Hall of Fame.

 

 

"I'm so proud to be in that company with the great catchers that played this game," said Piazza, who has 363 homers overall. "It's definitely a special position. And I'm glad I did it at home."

 

 

Mike Cameron also connected for the Mets, who won their third straight game for the first time this season.

 

David Weathers (2-1) worked a scoreless eighth for the win. Felix Rodriguez (1-2) took the loss.

Edited May 6, 2004 by southsider2k4

[marsh]

they are referring to clemens passing steve carlton.

[Steff]

they are referring to clemens passing steve carlton.

Yea.. umm.. I meant to say stupid me..

[marsh]

no prob. i wasn't sure if it was a joke.

[Steff]

no prob. i wasn't sure if it was a joke.

I didn't read the entire article and took the headline to be just (another) Yahoo error.

 

My bad.