MySports Today

As we reported yesterday, Mark Buerhle threw the 18th perfect game in MLB history ni Thursday’s 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.  After we did some digging on the perfect game, we came up with a few interesting facts.

First, home plate umpire Eric Cooper was also behind the plate for Buerhle’s no-hitter at U.S. Cellular Field back in April 2004 when Buerhle no-hit the Texas Rangers.  Buerhle also faced just 27 batters in that game – Buerhle walked Sammy Sosa to end the perfect game but picked him off of 1st base to maintain the 27-batter minimum.  Pretty random.

Second, cather Ramon Castro caught Mark Buerhle for the 1st time ever in Thursday’s game.  Buerhle typically has his regular catcher A.J. Pierzynski behind the plate (as he did for his no-hitter back in 2004), but because the White Sox were set to play 4 games in 3 days against the 1st place Tigers over the weekend, Manager Ozzie Guillen wanted to give Pierzynski the day off so that he would be able to play each day over the weekend. Castro spoke with both Buerhle and Pierzynski before the game to go over the game plan, and surely benefited from the fact that Buerhle works quickly and rarely shakes off the catcher’s call during a game.  Pierzynski and Buerhle even joked around about Buerhle throwing a no-hitter or perfect game on Thursday, so good things come to those who wait I guess.

Congrats Mark – it couldn’t have happened to a better guy…

27 up, 27 down – Mark Buehrle entered the history books by throwing the 18th perfect game in Major League history.  It was the 1st perfect game thrown in the big leagues since the Diamondback’s Randy Johnson threw a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves back in 2004.  Manager Ozzie Guillen and outfielder DeWayne Wise get a big assist – Guillen inserted Wise into the game in the 9th inning in center field for defensive purposes.  The Rays gabe Kapler hit a bomb to left center field that Wise tracked down and knocked back into the playing field by leaping over the center field fence.  The ball almost popped out of Wise’s glove, but as he fell to the ground, he managed to scoop the ball up bear-handed and put it back in his glove to preserve the out.  Buerhle then struck out Michel Hernandez and got Jason Bartlett to ground out to shortstop to complete the 116-pitch perfect game.

Buerhle had this to say about Wise’s catch and the amazing feat – - “I was hoping it was staying in there, give him enough toom to catch it.  I know the guys were doing everything they could to save the no-hitter, the perfect game, whatever it might be… I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet.  We have a short flight to Detroit.  I’m sure it will be a little hectic later.”

Buerhle faced the minimum 27 batters back in his April 2007 no-hitter against the Texas Rangers.  He picked off Sammy Sosa after walking him to negate the perfect game.  He became only the 2nd player to throw 2 no-hitters in a White Sox uniform – Frank Smith did so against Detroit in 1905 and against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908.  Charles Robertson threw the White Sox’ only other perfect game back in 1922 against the Detroit Tigers.

President Barack Obama – a lifelong White Sox fan – called Buerhle after the win to offer his congratulations.  And while it probably doesn’t mean as much – congrats to you Mark from all of us here at MySportsToday.com!