Tigers rookie utility player Kody Clemens, the son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, ended up pitching on Monday for the second time in three days with the game out of reach.
Clemens worked one inning and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out Ohtani looking with a 68 mph pitch on the outside corner and gave his own exuberant strike three call on the mound.
“I’m just trying to get outs, and for it to come like that is obviously super cool,” Clemens said. “He’s the best player in baseball. So it’s a pretty cool moment for me.”
Grinning ear to ear, Clemens threw the souvenir ball into the dugout for safe keeping and is hoping to get it signed by Ohtani during the final two days of the series.
Kody Clemens has pitched six times this year and has given up three runs on 10 hits in six innings. The strikeout of Ohtani was the first of his career.
“Yeah, I mean, obviously can’t do it slow enough for Ohtani. Maybe you can throw it slow and slow and slow and then maybe surprise him with a fastball,” Hinch said. “Big smile on Kody’s face, and Shohei tipped his cap.
“I don’t know how (Kody’s) father would have done against him, but he can always say he punched him out.”
