Maddux vs Clemens
two 300 game winners tangle in Houston
by john@tireball.com
last revised: April 30, 2005In a game that took 19 years to finally happen Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens met as opposing pitchers under the Texas sky in a match up of 300 game winners. The two had pitched against each other just once in their careers, a game in 2000 which neither had their stuff or received a decision.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Maddux said before the game. “I really admire the guy. How can you not? I learned a lot about pitching from watching him through the years.”
This was the first time 300-game winners in the National League went head-to-head since July 1892 when Philadelphia’s Tim Keefe and St. Louis’ Jim “Pud” Galvin faced off twice. It was the first time since August 4, 1987 that two 300 game-winners faced each other. (Don Sutton of California defeated Steve Carlton of Minnesota)
“It’s an historical event with two active 300-game winners,” Cubs catcher Michael Barrett said. “They’re probably the last two guys we’ll see in the history of baseball going at it with those kind of numbers. It’s going to be a lot of fun to be on the field with them.”
Clemens entered the game on a hot streak. Despite one win Clemens had allowed just one run and 16 hits in 28 innings over four starts while walking six and striking out 32. He was unscored upon in 23 consecutive innings, but the Astros had not scored a run for him in 22 innings, failing to even get a runner to third base in his most last outing at St. Louis.
In front of a sold out crowd at Minute Maid Park the two top pitchers of the last fifteen years dueled it out. Fighting the Texas humidity and the opposing lineup both put in hard fought performances. The Cubs jumped ahead and the Astros fought back.
Mike Lamb hit an RBI double in the Astros’ first off Maddux, but the Cubs answered in the second. Derrek Lee walked and Aramis Ramirez singled to start the inning, and Burnitz and Todd Hollandsworth each drove in a run with a single and a double, respectively. The runs were the first off Clemens after 24 consecutive scoreless innings.
Jeff Bagwell then tied the game with a leadoff homer in the Houston third, the seventh of his career off Maddux. Jeromy Burnitz collected three hits and two RBIs, including one on a tie breaking leadoff homer in the seventh for the Cubs.
The Cubs used Michael Wuertz, Will Ohman and Roberto Nova to get though the seventh and eight. LaTroy Hawkins pitched the ninth for his fourth save in six opportunities, and first one-run save this season.
When it was all done Maddux had out dueled Clemens, picking up career win No. 306 and his first of the season in the Chicago Cubs’ 3-2 win over the Houston Astros.
“It was special seeing those guys. I’m just glad Greg came out ahead,” Cubs manager Dusty Baker said.
“It’s fun to try to get a hit off him,” Maddux said. “But we’re trying to win. These guys beat us last year. We’ve got to beat them and the Cardinals this year if we want to keep playing. You’ve got to keep things in perspective and realize it’s not about us, it’s about trying to win a game. I got away with mistakes, it’s that simple,” Maddux said.
Clemens did get two hits off Maddux which the Cubs’ right-hander wasn’t too pleased about. Maddux was charged with two runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings. He struck out three and his fastball registered about 84 mph. Clemens gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks over seven innings and struck out four.
“When I’m running, it looks like first base is running from me,” Clemens said. “I knew when the crowd got louder (the ball) stayed fair.”
“I think it {stinks},” Maddux said, chuckling about the two lightly-hit singles by his mound counterpart. “But two hits is two hits. I’m just glad we got the win.”
“I know about it, I need to go catch up on what everybody was talking about,” Clemens said. “I don’t look at it on game day. You can maybe count them on one hand, future Hall of Famers, if you will, and for him to weather the storm and get to 300 also, I tip my cap to him. I enjoy watching him very much.”
“I’m pretty happy to start this road trip 1-0, especially against a Hall of Famer like Roger Clemens,” Baker said.
The hyped historic significance of the game was lost on Maddux.
“I really didn’t and maybe I’m an idiot for not,” Maddux said. “I was trying to win. I haven’t won a game all month. I wasn’t really concerned about who I was pitching against until he was hitting. I know it’s kind of cool and everything, and maybe when I’m done it’ll be cool, but I didn’t want anything to get in the way of my preparation. (I wanted to} do what I could to get a win and keep us in the game and give us a chance to win, and not get wrapped up in everything.”
Cubs catcher Michael Barrett however was glad to witness the occasion.
“They’re both the kind of guys who just pitch long enough to know exactly there they want to put the ball and exactly what they want to do,” Barrett said. “That’s what’s fun about watching them pitch. They’re really good at locating their pitches. You watch how Clemens works hitters and doesn’t really make mistakes when the pressure is on. Same as Maddux.”
“To watch those guys out there and see them put on a pitchers’ duel, it was fun to watch,” Burnitz said. “It’s history. Now that it’s over, it was a special night.”
The Hall of Fame requested signed caps from Clemens and Maddux. An MLB authenticator collected dirt from the mound that was also bound for Cooperstown. Appropriate mementos from a match up that may never come again, not only for Clemens and Maddux, but for baseball’s dwindling number of 300-game winners. The match up of Baseball’s best two pitchers in their respective leagues for 15 years finally had happened. In what can be a bit of a ‘I told you so’ for Maddux fans, he was able to do what he does best; place his team in a place to win. In the end luck was on his side and he was able to get the win.
“When it’s all said and done, I get to say I not only pitched against one of the greats, but I played my career at the same time,” Clemens said.
Original Game Recap from tireball.com
Texas Heat!
Battle of 300 game winners ends in 3-2 Cubs win
For the first time in 17 plus years two 300 game winners squared off. Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens pitched like two 300 game winners in a hard fought game. Both pitchers also had strong ties to the state of Texas, and it was fitting that their first match up as 300 game winners would take place in Houston. Maddux born in San Angelo and Clemens who spent most of his childhood growing up in Texas both fought the Texas humidity as well as the opposing lineups.
When Greg Maddux faced off against Roger Clemens on Friday night I could already predict the words that would come out of right-handers mouth. Maddux wasted no time being his normal nonchalant saying that “I was trying to win,” Maddux said. “I haven’t won a game all month. I was trying to get a win. I wasn’t really concerned about who I was pitching against until he was hitting.”
In a “historic” match up as it was billed by Major League Baseball, Maddux out pitched Roger Clemens providing the Cubs with a 3-2 win in the series opener. Maddux went 6 innings allowing 7 hits and two earned runs. He struck out three walking only one. Clemens on the other hand was just as good pitching 7 innings allowing three runs on 7 hits walking 2 and striking out 4. Clemens also got two hits in the match up as he was able to poke the ball past Cubs third basemen Aramis Ramirez. The win was Maddux’s first of the season and 306th of his career. Clemens fell to 1-1 on the season and the game marked just the second time all season he had been scored upon.
It was just the second time the two Cy Young award winners had faced. In their first match up back in 2000 neither received a decision. It’s quite likely the two will pitch against each other later this season, though I doubt the billing will be as high.
