After Being Hit by a Pitch, Nokes Throws It Right Back at Clemens

Matt Nokes of the New York Yankees came up with an unusual way to retaliate Sunday night at New York after Roger Clemens hit him in the ribs with a pitch in the sixth inning of the Boston Red Sox’s 5-4 victory.

Nokes, who caught the ball between his ribs and his elbow, was obviously in pain. He reacted instantly, throwing the ball right back at Clemens, who caught it easily.

The two had words as Nokes walked slowly to first. Both benches and bullpens emptied. Everyone milled around for a bit but there was no fight. Clemens (16-8) was the winning pitcher.

“I know he was intentionally throwing at me,” said Nokes, who twice in the last three years has hit critical homers off Clemens, once with the Detroit Tigers and this season with the Yankees.

“I can see him being angry,” Clemens said of Nokes. “I don’t know how he caught it. He threw me back a pretty good pitch. He fired it back to me pretty good.”

The Yankees were leading, 4-3, at the time and Nokes had the satisfaction of stealing second base.

Nokes said he’s been hit by Clemens before, while playing for Detroit: “I hit a home run to win a game, and Clemens told the reporter that ‘I got to earn my living, and Nokes is going down.’ And we got up to their place, that’s what happened.”