Injured Clemens Will Skip a Start

Roger Clemens will skip his start today because of a sore left hamstring when wild-card leader Houston plays the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Clemens, who tweaked the hamstring during his Sept. 3 start against the St. Louis Cardinals, is day to day. Astro Manager Phil Garner said he doesn’t expect him to skip any other starts.

“He needs to take the start [off],” Garner said after the Astros’ 5-4 loss to the Cubs on Friday.

Clemens, who won a record seventh Cy Young Award last year at 42, strained his hamstring while batting in the second inning, and left the game against the Cardinals three innings later. He made his next three starts but didn’t look like his usual dominating self.

He lasted only three innings in his Sept. 9 start, his shortest outing in more than a year. He yielded 11 hits in a loss to Pittsburgh on Monday, the most he has given up since April 15, 1999.

Clemens is 1-4 in his last eight starts, though he still leads the majors with a 1.89 earned-run average.

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Pedro Martinez probably will be shut down for the rest of the season, New York Met Manager Willie Randolph said Friday.

Martinez is next set to start Tuesday, and Randolph said: “If we’re mathematically eliminated by then, then he definitely won’t pitch.”

The Mets are 76-77 after Friday night’s victory over the Washington Nationals, last in the National League East and 7 1/2 games behind Houston in the wild-card standings with nine games left in the season.

Martinez is 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA and has pitched 217 innings in his first season in New York.

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Boston Red Sox closer Keith Foulke is done for the year, victimized by two painful knees that limited his effectiveness for the defending World Series champions.

“The signs are pointing to that he may not pitch again” this season, Manager Terry Francona said. “We will certainly go through hoops to see what we can do.”

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Washington outfielder Jose Guillen was suspended for one game and fined for throwing a tantrum -- and a lot of equipment -- after being ejected during a Sept. 14 victory over the Mets. Guillen said he appealed the suspension.

Guillen was called out on strikes in the fifth inning. Plate umpire Bill Miller said Guillen cursed from the dugout.

Guillen then threw a batting helmet onto the field, followed by a few bats and a shinguard.