| Paul Falewicz. 22nd May, 2005 - 8:03 pm
 When the Boston Red Sox were looking to reload their pitching staff in the off-season, Matt Clement was very high on their list. After retiring 17 of the final 18 batters Sunday afternoon, it is easy to see why.
Clement pitched a complete game four hitter in defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-2. The win helped the Red Sox take two out of three against their interleague rival. It is also the first time in six tries that the Sox will win a series in Fenway Park against the Braves.
The victory also helped move Clement to 5-0 for the first time in his career. Back in 2000 with the San Diego Padres, he started 4-0 before suffering a loss. He also became the second Sox starter to start his first season with the team 5-0 since 2002 when John Burkett won his first seven decisions.
This dominating outing was just five days removed from when it appeared that Clement was a selfish pitcher. In the process of being pulled Wednesday night in Oakland after struggling through 5 2/3 innings, Clement kicked the pitching rubber and motioned to manager Terry Francona to stay on the bench. Clement felt he had enough to finish the inning but Francona saw different. Francona later said that he never saw Clement motion towards him to stay on the bench.
Clement has emerged as the ace of the Red Sox staff with the injuries sustained to Curt Schilling and David Wells. He leads the Sox in wins (6), quality starts (7), innings pitched (64.2) and strikeouts (47).
It was also Clement?s first complete game since August 29, 2003 when he defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 as a member of the Cubs. That was a span of 44 starts between nine inning performances.
Clement will take the ball again next weekend against the New York Yankees. He will be looking to make up for a four plus inning performance in his first start of the season.
If Clement is going to continue to make Red Sox Nation forget above a certain pitcher that signed with the New York Mets in the off-season, he will need to perform on the big stage in Yankee Stadium.
It is something that the above-mentioned pitcher struggled to do in the last couple of seasons. |
