ducks
10-07-2005, 09:55 AM
Then there's McCann, who was batting in the playoffs for the first time when he stepped to the plate in the second inning with two on and two outs.
McCann was less than three months old when Clemens made his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox in 1984. Now, the two were face to face -- a video game-playing catcher who started the season with Double-A Mississippi vs. a seven-time Cy Young Award winner who stopped off in Houston on his way to Cooperstown.
``Logic would say Roger has the upper hand in that situation,'' Atlanta's Chipper Jones said wryly.
Not this time. With Smoltz on deck, Clemens missed with his first two pitches, then left a fastball over the plate. McCann connected with a 409-foot drive that ricocheted into the Braves' bullpen in right field for a 3-1 lead.
``A very hittable pitch,'' Clemens said. ``When a guy's at this level, it doesn't matter if he's 21 or 41. He's going to hit that.''
McCann was urged back on the field by manager Bobby Cox, tipping his cap to the roaring crowd after becoming the first player in Braves history (including Boston and Milwaukee, too) to homer in his first trip to the plate in the postseason.
Houston Astros players, from left, Andy Pettitte, Brad Lidge, Lance Berkman and Jeff Bagwell stand in the dugout in the 9th inning during Game 2 of the National League Division Series at Turner Field in Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005. The Braves defeated the Astros, 7-1.
AP - Oct 6, 11:39 pm EDT
McCann also joined Clemens in a more obscure record: biggest age gap between a pitcher and a batter who hit a postseason homer -- 21 years and 200 days, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Another of the 18 rookies to play for the Braves this season, reliever Macay McBride, caught the home run ball in the bullpen and delivered it to McCann after the game.
``That won't sink in for a while,'' McCann said. ``(Clemens) is one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He just got a pitch over the plate and I connected. It was neat.''
McCann was less than three months old when Clemens made his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox in 1984. Now, the two were face to face -- a video game-playing catcher who started the season with Double-A Mississippi vs. a seven-time Cy Young Award winner who stopped off in Houston on his way to Cooperstown.
``Logic would say Roger has the upper hand in that situation,'' Atlanta's Chipper Jones said wryly.
Not this time. With Smoltz on deck, Clemens missed with his first two pitches, then left a fastball over the plate. McCann connected with a 409-foot drive that ricocheted into the Braves' bullpen in right field for a 3-1 lead.
``A very hittable pitch,'' Clemens said. ``When a guy's at this level, it doesn't matter if he's 21 or 41. He's going to hit that.''
McCann was urged back on the field by manager Bobby Cox, tipping his cap to the roaring crowd after becoming the first player in Braves history (including Boston and Milwaukee, too) to homer in his first trip to the plate in the postseason.
Houston Astros players, from left, Andy Pettitte, Brad Lidge, Lance Berkman and Jeff Bagwell stand in the dugout in the 9th inning during Game 2 of the National League Division Series at Turner Field in Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005. The Braves defeated the Astros, 7-1.
AP - Oct 6, 11:39 pm EDT
McCann also joined Clemens in a more obscure record: biggest age gap between a pitcher and a batter who hit a postseason homer -- 21 years and 200 days, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Another of the 18 rookies to play for the Braves this season, reliever Macay McBride, caught the home run ball in the bullpen and delivered it to McCann after the game.
``That won't sink in for a while,'' McCann said. ``(Clemens) is one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He just got a pitch over the plate and I connected. It was neat.''