Perfection! Buehrle’s gem highlights White Sox’s 5-0 win
Written by The Go-To-Man Mattie T. on July 23, 2009
On any other day, Josh Fields’ grand slam would’ve been the main highlight of Thursday afternoon’s 5-0 win against the defending AL champion Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
But this day belongs to Mark Buehrle.
The 30 year old All-Star lefthander faced the mininum of 27 batters for the Chicago White Sox’s first perfect game gem in over 87 years.
White Sox left fielder DeWayne Wise entered the game as a defensive replacement & saved Buehrle’s perfect gem with a well-timed leap over the wall to rob Gabe Kapler of a home run in the 9th inning. (vid is below)
DeWayne Wise\’s excellent grab!
Wise on his “perfect” game-saving catch:
“I was with the Braves in ’04 and I was there when Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks pitched a perfect game. So I’ve been on both sides of it,” he said. “It was probably the best catch I’ve ever made because of the circumstances.
The last perfect game by a White Sox pitcher prior to today’s historic outing was by Charlie Robertson on April 22nd, 1922.
Robertson needed just 90 pitches to do it, as the White Sox beat Detroit 2-0 at Navin Field.
Buehrle becomes the first major league pitcher to throw a perfect game since Randy Johnson did it on May 18th, 2004 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Johnson fanned 13 batters during Arizona’s 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
The win puts the White Sox in a first-place tie with Detroit, as the two teams will clash in a day-night doubleheader Friday at CoAmerica Park.
Buehrle also got a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama following today’s game, as Obama told Buehrle that today’s game was an “unbelieveable achievement” and “something that everyone will always remember”.
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