But the plucky Marlins had other ideas.
Miguel Cabrera, only 1 when Clemens made his major league debut in 1984, put the Marlins ahead with a two-out, two-run homer in the first.
Florida had managed only two runs in the previous two games combined, and his fourth homer of this postseason gave the sellout crowd of 65,934 at Pro Player reason to believe.
Clemens gave up another run in the first, and left after the seventh after striking out Luis Castillo.
Popping flashbulbs lit up the ballpark and Clemens' teammates patted him on the back as he made his way to the bench, waving his hand. The ovation continued and Clemens came out of the dugout to acknowledge the cheers from the Marlins, patting his heart and doffing his cap. Catcher Ivan Rodriguez clapped his hands as did the other Marlins, and manager Jack McKeon saluted Clemens from the dugout. It made for a rare scene -- opponents saluting someone on the other bench during a game that meant so much.
"It was a classy thing by both teams," McKeon said. "All of our guys were on the top step, giving it their best hand."
Clemens got a no-decision, leaving him at 3-0 lifetime in the World Series. The 41-year-old ace was trying to become the first 300-game winner to win in the Series since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1926.
Instead, he was outpitched by a guy who grew up idolizing him in Connecticut and later as a prospect in the Boston farm system.
Pavano shut down the Yankees on seven hits and one run over eight innings. He walked none, struck out four and helped himself by getting Derek Jeter to ground into two double plays.
Clemens was the first Yankees player to jog onto the field after New York was done batting in the top of the first.
Eager to get going, he retired Juan Pierre and Castillo on easy grounders. Then suddenly, the Marlins' hit parade started.
Rodriguez singled and Cabrera, after being backed off the plate by an inside fastball, reached out and hit a drive over the right-field wall.
Clemens bent over at the waist as he watched it sail, took a few steps toward the plate and simply signaled umpire Jeff Kellogg for a new ball.
Cabrera's homer was the fourth of this postseason for the 20-year-old rookie.
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