KISSIMMEE, Fla. — They’re both starting pitchers, but other than that, Paul Byrd and Roger Clemens have drawn few comparisons over the course of their careers.
Now they’re linked for the wrong reason — HGH.
In a somewhat ironic scene Friday at Osceola County Stadium, Byrd took the mound for his exhibition debut — a 4-3 loss to the Astros — yards away from where Clemens, who was not at Astros camp for the Indians’ visit, had thrown to Houston minor leaguers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
But while Clemens steadfastly continues to deny taking HGH and is now under FBI investigation for perjury during his congressional hearing testimony, Byrd has already admitted to taking the banned substance.
And with what he views as a justifiable excuse — a pituitary gland issue — he is anxious to tell people why and clear his name, which he says he will do as soon as he hears from Major League Baseball on potential penalties for those accused in the Mitchell Report.
“There will be no vanishing into thin air,” Byrd said. “I’m looking forward to saying more.”
Byrd was first tied to HGH when a San Francisco Chronicle story broke the morning of the Indians’ loss to Boston in Game 7 of the ALCS, implicating him of purchasing the performance enhancement.
Byrd met with reporters hours before the game, admitting to using HGH, but indicating that both MLB and the Indians knew of his medical issue that required him to take it.
The Indians and MLB immediately denied knowing about any medical condition and Byrd was later named in the Mitchell Report, along with Clemens and a host of others, including Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada, who was in the lineup Friday.
Byrd said he has heard nothing from the league since the Indians’ loss to the Red Sox.
“I know they’re doing a thorough job, a very thorough investigation,” Byrd said. “In that sense, it’s a credit to major league baseball.”
But Byrd, a devout Christian family man, is anxious to put the worst moment of his career behind him and get back to baseball.
For a moment in Kissimmee — two innings — he was able to accomplish that, taking the mound without receiving a rude reception from the same Astros fans that scattered some boos on Tejada during his first trip to the plate.
“The fans have been really supportive. It’s been nice,” Byrd said. “I’m sure there’s a few people saying things under their breath, but for the most part, the fans have been great.”
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

ASTROS (1-1) 4, INDIANS (1-1) 3

Turning point

Trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Astros scored twice off Indians reliever Edward Mujica, winning the game on a bases-loaded single from Reggie Abercrombie over left fielder Jason Tyner’s head.

Hits

Center fielder Franklin Gutierrez went 1-for-3 with an RBI in his exhibition debut.
• Tyner drove in a run with a single in the seventh inning that put Cleveland in front 3-2.
• Closer Joe Borowski worked a scoreless third, striking out one.
• Reliever Rafael Perez struck out two of the three batters he faced in a scoreless fifth.

Misses

Mujica was only able to record one out in the ninth, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.
• Second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera went hitless in three trips to the plate during his spring debut, striking out twice and leaving three on base.
• Reliever Aaron Fultz allowed a run on one hit in his only inning of work in the seventh.

Prospect punch

First baseman Michael Aubrey stayed hot a day after collecting two hits in the Indians’ exhibition opener. He was the only Cleveland player with more than one hit, going 2-for-2 with an RBI double in the fourth.
• Brad Snyder started in right field and batted ninth, going 1-for-4. He singled during Cleveland’s one-run seventh.

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