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The Astros have two homestands remaining. They face two teams that are out of contention next week in the Cubs and Phillies. The last homestand beginning Sept. 21 features Pittsburgh and St. Louis, two clubs in the NL wild-card hunt.
Last-place Houston has said it would be open to the idea of bringing back Clemens. The Astros sent a scout to watch both of his outings for the Skeeters.
"Of course the ultimate goal from a fan's perspective is to watch him pitch for the Astros at Minute Maid, but this is just a step toward that," said Wall, the rapper who named his son William after Clemens' first name. "I don't know if it will ever happen or if he wants to do that. But that's something that we as the fans want."
Clemens returned to the field in the middle of the fifth inning with Keith by his side. The crowd raised thousands of red cups that were passed out as Keith's hit song "Red Solo Cup," whose video Clemens makes a cameo in, played.
"He's still bringing the gas and it's pretty amazing," said Keith, who watched the game from the dugout.
It was the second time Clemens and Koby have shared a professional baseball field together. The two were teammates in 2006 when the elder Clemens was making his comeback with the Astros and pitched a game for Class-A Lexington. This one is different, though, because Koby played third base in that game.
"I've had some great backstops," Clemens said, adding that two of the catchers he played with during his major league career -- Darrin Fletcher and Charlie O'Brien -- attended Friday's game. "Now I can add my son to that list."
Koby made a couple of visits to the mound during his father's outing, but it was unclear if he was giving him pointers or simply letting the AARP-card-eligible pitcher catch his breath.
Clemens' signing with the Skeeters is the first time he has been in the spotlight since he was acquitted of charges he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs in June.
Clemens was accused by former personal trainer Brian McNamee in the Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball of using steroids and HGH, allegations Clemens denied before Congress. The Justice Department began an investigation concerning whether Clemens had lied under oath, and in 2010 a grand jury indicted him on two counts of perjury, three counts of making false statements and one count of obstructing Congress.
He was acquitted of all the charges on June 19 after a 10-week trial and had largely stayed out of the public spotlight until signing with the Skeeters on Aug. 20.
Clemens will be back with the Skeeters on Monday night. But it's only to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Texas Longhorns night at the ballpark.
[Associated
Press;
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