Clemens says he will face Cards in spite of cough

NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens plans to pitch Friday night against St. Louis, trying for the fourth time to earn his 300th career victory despite an upper respiratory infection he can't completely shake.

"My day is still Friday," Clemens said before the New York Yankees played Houston on Tuesday night. "I know I'm going to be better by then."

At least, he hopes to improve. His wife and youngest son remain ill with the same problem, and Clemens' cough has not gone away. A heavy scent of medication -- similar to Mentholatum -- hovered around his locker as he spoke.

"I'm feeling a little better," he said. "I won't be coughing on y'all all the time."

Clemens will face the Cardinals at Yankee Stadium. The interleague game will mark the first time St. Louis and the Yankees have played in a game that matters since the 1964 World Series.

Clemens is trying to become the 21st pitcher to win 300 games. The only other pitcher to reach the milestone while playing for the Yankees was Phil Niekro, who did it on the final day of the 1985 season on his fifth try.

The Rocket won No. 299 on May 21 at Boston. But he then lost at home to the Red Sox and followed up by blowing a six-run lead at Detroit.

Last Saturday at Wrigley Field, Clemens threw just 84 pitches before manager Joe Torre pulled him with a 1-0 lead in the seventh inning and runners at first and second with one out. Reliever Juan Acevedo gave up a three-run homer to Eric Karros on his first pitch and the Cubs went on to win 5-2 as Clemens took the loss.

Clemens said he was laboring with his illness and had no problem with being taken out.

"I could feel my body working too hard," he said. "My legs were gone."

Acevedo, by the way, was released Tuesday.

Clemens is 6-4 with a 3.81 ERA in 13 starts. He spent Monday's off day at his Houston home, and said he was exhausted after a two-mile run. He's been taking shots, antibiotics and heat treatment trying to get better.

Clemens did not express disappointment over his three-week search for No. 300. He said he felt his teammates were equally excited about the milestone, and sensed they were frustrated that a couple of leads slipped away.

"I see it in some of the guys," he said. "I can tell they're upset."