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Strained right groin forces Rocket to leave vs. Phils

PHILADELPHIA -- Roger Clemens left Monday's start against Philadelphia because of a strained right groin after allowing only one hit in five innings.

Roger Clemens Clemens

The Houston right-hander was 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA coming into the game. He gave up one run to the Phillies, struck out six and walked two. The Astros said the 44-year-old right-hander is day-to-day.

Clemens felt something on the next-to-last pitch he threw in the
fifth inning.

"I feel better. The tenderness I felt has relaxed," he said.
"I'm still on for Saturday unless something changes. We'll give it
a chance to heal and see what happens."

Charlton Jimerson pinch hit for Clemens with two outs in the
sixth inning and broke up Cole Hamels' perfect-game bid, homering
in his first major league at-bat.