Clemens: 'Hamstring was free and lose'

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) -- He looked like the Roger Clemens of old

for the first four innings Monday. Then, he just looked old.

The 42-year-old Clemens seemed dominant as ever through the

first four innings of an exhibition against Detroit, scattering

four harmless hits. But the Tigers broke through for three runs

after the Houston right-hander tired in the fifth, and they scored

four more in the sixth.

Clemens got a standing ovation from the fans at Joker Marchant

Stadium as he left after completing six innings, trailing 7-6. He

allowed 12 hits, two of them homers, while walking one and striking

out seven.

The Astros eventually won 14-11 in 10 innings.

This was the third start of the spring for Clemens, but the

first since March 18, when he left a game against Detroit with a

strained right hamstring. Clemens, who won his seventh Cy Young

last season, threw 90 pitches in a simulated game March 24 in

Kissimmee.

"I wanted to get out of here with less ice bags than last

time," Clemens said. "I've only got four on now. Last time it was

five."

Astros manager Phil Garner had intended to keep Clemens on a

90-pitch count, but it didn't work out quite that way.

"I went out to the mound at 94, and he said he wanted to keep

going," Garner said. "I frankly thought his 99th pitch was his

best."

Clemens eventually finished at 109 pitches, 70 for strikes.

"The hamstring was free and lose," Clemens said. "I was able

to jog to the mound, which I couldn't do the other day."

Detroit starter Nate Robertson gave up six runs and six hits. He

was replaced by Ugueth Urbina after walking the first two batters

in the Houston fifth. Urbina got out of the inning quickly with two

strikeouts and an infield fly.

Urbina, who lost his closer's job when the Tigers signed free

agent Troy Percival during the offseason, struck out the side in

the Astros sixth.

Houston took a 2-0 lead in the second. One run scored on Carlos

Rivera's RBI single, the other came when Detroit catcher Vance

Wilson bit on Rivera's fake attempt to steal second, allowing Chris

Burke to trot home from third.

Jeff Bagwell and Burke each hit two-run homers, giving the

Astros a 6-0 lead in the third.

Omar Infante, Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez had RBI as the

Tigers made it 6-3 in the fifth. Carlos Pena and Jason Smith each

hit two-run homers -- among the five hits the Tigers collected off

Clemens to go up 7-6 in the sixth.

Houston regained the lead on Mike Lamb's two-run single in the

seventh, but Detroit made it 8-8 on Mike Hessman's solo homer in

the bottom of the inning.

Eric Bruntlett's RBI single off Mike James gave Houston a 9-8

lead in the eighth.

The Astros got two more in the ninth, one on Burke's RBI single

and another on Steve Colyer's wild pitch.

Hessman's three-run homer off Ezequiel Astacio tied it at 11 in

the bottom of the ninth.

Percival gave up three straight singles to start the 10th,

including an RBI liner by Willy Taveras. A sacrifice fly by Burke

and RBI single by Rivera put the Astros ahead by three.

Game notes

Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez was ejected by umpire Dusty

Dellinger in the top of the second. Rodriguez said something

Dellinger didn't like after a the count had gone to 1-0 on Houston

catcher Brad Ausmus. Tigers manager Alan Trammell also was tossed

for protesting the Rodriguez ejection too long and too hard. ...

Detroit reliever Fernando Rodney had to leave the game with a sore

shoulder after facing just one batter in the ninth. Pitching coach

Bob Cluck said, however, the problem wasn't related to Rodney's

elbow, which underwent Tommy John surgery, keeping him out of

baseball last season.