YANKEE pitcher zooms into fourth place on career strikeout list

<br>NEW YORK (AP) _ With every game, the milestones pile up for Roger Clemens. <br><br>The power pitcher known as ``The Rocket'' zoomed past Tom Seaver into fourth place on baseball's career

Tuesday, July 24th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ With every game, the milestones pile up for Roger Clemens.

The power pitcher known as ``The Rocket'' zoomed past Tom Seaver into fourth place on baseball's career strikeout list Monday. He left the Yankees' game against Toronto after notching eight strikeouts, giving him 3,643 for his career _ three more than Seaver.

Clemens improved to 9-0 this year at Yankee Stadium, drawing standing ovations when he passed Seaver and again when he left the game.

``Tom Seaver is just a tremendous name, and a tremendous pitcher and a tremendous person,'' Clemens said. ``He was a teammate, and in the short time he was, I was able to learn a lot from him. In that aspect, it was nice.''

Seaver spent the end of 1986, his final year in the majors, playing for the Red Sox along with Clemens. Clemens, who won the first of his five Cy Young Awards that season, made sure to study Seaver every chance he got.

``I was able to take some things Tom told me on the bench,'' he said.

At 38, Clemens is still going strong: His 14 victories this year tie him for most in the majors. Up next on the career strikeout list would be Bert Blyleven, third with 3,701.

Nolan Ryan holds the career strikeout record with 5,714, and Steve Carlton is second with 4,136.