NEW YORK -- President Bush started off with a strike and Roger Clemens kept them coming.

	Clemens

The Yankees' season was spinning out of control, needing someone to step up and hold off Arizona, and give New York's offense time to awaken from its World Series slumber.

The Rocket came up big, allowing nearly nothing. He started 23 of 27 batters with strikes and showed the Diamondbacks some of the same stuff that Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson threw at the Yankees back in the desert last weekend, giving up three hits, just like them.

He handed the ball to Mariano Rivera, who got six straight outs, giving New York a 2-1 victory and closing the Yankees to 2-1 in the World Series, which seems like it's just beginning.

"You go out there and try to get some momentum," Clemens said. "That's what I tried to do, get the crowd into the game."

Clemens struck out nine, just like he did in last year's Series start against the New York Mets. Only this time, he'll be remembered for the pitches he threw, not the shattered bat.

Sometimes, it seems as if Clemens can't do enough to please Yankees' fans. When he won the 1999 Series clincher against San Diego, and walked that line atop the Yankees' dugout in the postgame excitement, they said well, yes, he won, but New York was up three-games-to-none.

When he pitched a one-hitter against Seattle in last year's AL playoffs, he was remembered for putting Alex Rodriguez in the dirt. And then came that weird moment, when he tossed the bat fragment in front of Mike Piazza.

None of that Tuesday night. It was straight and simple.

"For a pitcher as great as Roger has been, he's really had to defend himself a lot," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I don't think, after this game tonight, he'll ever have to defend himself again."

After fellow Texan Bush opened with a first pitch that most major league relievers would be proud of, the Rocket took over. He didn't have his best stuff, but he mastered what he had and won for the first time in seven starts since Sept. 19.

"The president, the mayor and all of the fans -- it's another moment I'll remember here in the Stadium," Clemens said. "I'll take this with me."

He even picked off a runner in the first, something he rarely does, and allowed only Matt Williams' sacrifice fly in the fourth after loading the bases on two walks around Luis Gonzalez's hit.

That's when his hamstring -- the one that slowed him against Oakland and Seattle -- started acting up. But then it went away.

"I was actually able to get a second wind," Clemens said.

In the sixth, with the score 1-all and maybe some Yankees' fans wondering if the dynasty was finally coming to an end, he escaped again. First, Alfonso Soriano saved a run by diving and snaring Erubiel Durazo's grounder, forcing Reggie Sanders to hold at third. Then, Shane Spencer dived and caught Williams' sinking liner to left.

Clemens punched his fist in the air. Scott Brosius gave him a lead in the bottom half, and the Rocket pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, tying his Series strikeout high.

He has five Cy Young Awards and is the favorite to get his sixth.

Still, some Yankees' fans will say it was only Game 3. Fair enough.

But look ahead to Sunday: The way this Series is going, he could be starting Game 7.