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Home , Charlie Hayes, DeWayne Wise, Don Cooper, Ernie Shore, John Kruk, Josh Fields (infielder)

MiracleOn the South Side On an afternoon when everything could’ve—maybe should’ve—gone wrong, everything went perfectly right. Here’s why ’s masterpiece goes down as this season’s coolest moment by Lee jenkins Photograph by Jim Prisching/AP

Lucky 27 Castro, who had never before caught Buehrle, made all the right calls on a day when the Rays went 27 up, 27 down.

Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o LEFT PAGE 44/1 of 2 Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o righT PAGE 45/1 of 2 Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for folio change. js Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for folio change. js ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art

y baseball standards Chi- cago White Sox lefthander­ Mark Buehrle is not super- stitious, but on the days he pitches at home, he ­always stops at the Shell station, the one where Kingery Highway meets Interstate 55 south- Bwest of Chicago, and buys a Rockstar ener- gy drink. Last Thursday, Buehrle was pitch- ing at U.S. Cellular Field against Tampa Bay, but on the way to the park that morning from his home in Lemont, Ill., he forgot about his ginseng fix and drove right past the station. Only when he was 10 minutes from the stadium did he look down at the cup holder in his BMW and notice it was empty. “Oh s---,” he muttered. He texted his wife, Jamie, “Forgot my drink. I’ll definitely lose today.” The beauty of a is that no one ever sees it coming. When White Sox centerfielder Dewayne Wise showed up at the ballpark and did not find his name in the starting lineup, he ­didn’t even bother to stretch. from left: Jerry L Jerry left: from When backup catcher Ramon Castro showed up and did find his name in the starting lineup, he hurriedly went over signs with Buehrle—, cutter, change.

ai/US Pre ai/US “You know,” Buehrle said, “I throw a , too.” Castro, a May acquisition from the Mets who was

ss catching Buehrle for the first time, had no idea. wire (3); Phil Vela (3); Phil wire With the White Sox playing a day game after a night game and facing a the next afternoon in Detroit, they trotted out a lineup that looked more like

s a split squad at . In addition to Castro, q u ez/Chi , who was in the minor leagues two

c months ago, was starting at third and regular third ago T ago baseman was making only the seventh rib

u start of his career at first. Buehrle, meanwhile, was ne/ A

P (2)P facing a batting order with four All-Stars in a ballpark that is surrendering more home runs per game this

Inning of Work One Play That’ll 1 Live Forever Wise had entered the game as a defensive replacement only moments before Kapler’s drive sent him to the wall in left center, where his leaping grab (and bare-fisted ) to preserve Buehrle’s gem made for the most dramatic catch in any perfect game.

august 3, 2009 | Sports IllustrateD | 47

Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o LEFT PAGE 46/1 of 2 Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o righT PAGE 47/1 of 2 Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for folio change. js Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for numerous edit & fit changes. js ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art mark buehrle’s perfect game

season than Colorado’s Coors Field. A control to be made, it will sneak up , Buehrle’s command was so poor in on you. John Buehrle, Mark’s “Mark’s rhythm and the rhythm of the game his pregame bullpen session that he told father, was driving from his Castro, “Don’t worry. It will get better.” home in St. Charles, Mo., to met,” says Cooper. “It was a perfect storm.” It would become a perfect day, made more Mark’s 1,500-acre ranch 90 In the first three innings a couple of trends position for the top of the sixth, already think- Back in St. Charles, Pat Buehrle was being so by all its imperfect elements. Buehrle is a minutes away in Louisiana, started to develop. Buehrle, who usually ing the unthinkable. A former quarterback at just as careful. John still could not get a scruffy, doughy, sleepy-eyed, 38th-round draft Mo. In the off-season Mark throws about 40 cutters a game, practically Oklahoma State, Fields plotted how he would signal at Mark’s house, so he was regular- pick who was cut twice in high school, was hunts deer on the ranch and abandoned his best pitch. He was relying tackle Buehrle in a celebratory dog pile while ly calling Pat, and she was answering the the No. 4 starter on his junior college team rides four-wheelers with his almost exclusively on and curve- protecting Buehrle’s left arm. phone with the greeting, “Mark still has his and rarely touches 90 mph. He’s also one of wife, Jamie. He proposed to balls, the pitch Castro did not know he could With two outs in the sixth Buehrle went to you-know-what.” the most under­appreciated of his her there, on a deer stand, throw. He was also managing the game as 3–0 on Tampa Bay Jason ­Bartlett, As the White Sox got ready for the seventh generation, a contemporary both of them in camou- if he were Steve Nash leading a fast break. and he was confronted with the dilemma inning and Beckham went to retrieve his who won 122 games before his 30th birth- flage. (“Dad,” John recalls Buehrle is a famously quick worker, known to that faces any pitcher in the midst of a glove, Buehrle tried to catch the rookie’s day, yet goes largely unrecognized away from his son telling him, “I love sometimes start his windup before a catcher perfect game. He could walk Bartlett and attention. Buehrle had noticed in the sixth Chicago’s South Side. He no- the Rangers a girl in camo.”) John was flashes the sign. “There are times I’ve missed sacrifice the perfect game for the no-hitter, that whenever Beckham threw the ball two years ago and would have had a perfect planning to watch the game pitches,” Fields says. “I’ll be scraping the or he could attack him from third base back to the mound, game if not for a fifth-inning walk to Sammy on Mark’s TV, then mow dirt and all of a sudden you hear the glove and gamble everything he was averting his eyes and trying Sosa, whom he promptly picked off. The dif- the grass and set up some pop.” The Rays allowed Buehrle to set the against a hitter sitting to hold back a smile. “Question of ference between a no-hitter and a perfect food plots with corn and pace, and Castro allowed him to maintain on the fastball. Cooper the day,” Buehrle said. “Think I’m game, as ­Buehrle discovered, is tissue-thin soybeans for the deer. But going to do it?” Beckham pretended but significant. Including the postseason, the when he flipped on the tele- not to hear. majors have had 263 no-hitters but only 18 vision, the DirecTV satellite Minutes of Work that Defied Belief Meanwhile, Wise had left the perfect games. “Perfection is hard to reach,” dish couldn’t­ find a signal. Buehrle has always been one of the quickest workers bench and gone down to the batting in baseball, sometimes beginning his windup even his pitching says. “Think He called his wife, Pat, for 32 cage under the stadium to take a few before the catcher flashes his sign. His perfect game was no of all the ways you can get on base.” A walk, the first update of the day. different, requiring barely more than a half hour of time spent on cuts, unaware of what was devel- , hit batsman, on a , Buehrle had thrown 10 the mound, before a much longer celebration began. oping outside. With one out in the even catcher’s interference can turn something pitches in the first inning, seventh Wise heard over the radio that comes along about as often as a naked-eye eight for strikes, and no “19 up, 19 down,” but he was sure the comet into something fairly common. ball left the infield. His longtime agent, Jeff she moved down to the scouts’ section it—catch the ball, fire it back, put down the has lectured Buehrle in the past to be cau- announcer was mistaken. A frequent late- In the clubhouse last Thursday, A.J. Pier- Berry, who was watching at the Creative behind home plate, next to Lisa Dergan sign, rinse and repeat. Buehrle never shook tious when behind in counts, but Buehrle game defensive replacement, he checked zynski, normally the starting catcher, asked Artists Agency office in Manhattan, said to Podsednik, wife of centerfielder Scott Pod- him off, and the Rays rushed through their despises walks, so he threw two consecutive the scoreboard for himself. “I’d better go Buehrle, “Why don’t you throw a no-hitter?” himself, This could be an interesting day. sednik. Buehrle sent Jamie two texts early at bats like a team in a hurry to get out of to Bartlett for strikes and induced get loose,” he said, hustling to the weight Buehrle answered, “For what? I’ve already Buehrle has a suite at U.S. Cellular in the game to see where she had gone. town. “Buehrle dominates you with tempo,” a grounder to short on a 3-and‑2 count. As room. When the Rays’ Evan Longoria flied done that.” Pierzynski replied, “Then why Field that he shares with reliever Scott He finally noticed Brooklyn in the same Cooper says. “His rhythm and the rhythm of Buehrle walked to the dugout, he thought out to end the seventh, Cooper turned to don’t you throw a perfect game?” Linebrink so their kids can crawl around red dress she wore to the All-Star Game the game met. It was a perfect storm.” about texting Jamie again and telling her to manager Ozzie Guillen and said, “Now it’s together during games. The Buehrles have parade, with my daddy’s an all star have the neighbor wake Braden and bring real. Game on.” Castro ran to the dugout n October we are clustered around tele- two children, five-month-old Brooklyn and printed on the front. Buehrle is only 30, he drama of no-hitters and perfect him to the ballpark, but he was afraid of and told pitcher Jose Contreras, “He hasn’t­ visions from the first pitch of the first two-year-old Braden, but day games con- but he is already thinking of retiring after games builds gradually, a slow boil jinxing himself, so he held off. missed a spot all day. I think he’s going to Iinning, awaiting history. But on a lazy flict with Braden’s nap schedule, so Jamie his four-year, $56 million contract expires Tstarting in the sixth inning. Fields, do it.” Contreras replied, “Shut the f--- up.” Thursday afternoon in July we are at work, brought only Brooklyn. Since Jamie did in 2011 so he won’t miss any more high- who had snapped a 1-for-20 slump with a Castro’s legs were starting to shake. Jamie’s at camp, at the beach, and if there is history not need a romper room for her newborn, lights of Brooklyn and Braden growing up. in the second, jogged out to his stomach was starting to churn. But the

ter, . On Shore’s first pitch Morgan was caught stealing, and no 4. Aug. 15, 1990. The only base runner that Phillies shore thing  no-hitter. However, it Senator reached base the rest of the way. Officially, the game is a joint no- lefthander allowed against the In 1917, Shore was a 16th ground ball— So Close, Yet ... (right) picked up hitter for Ruth and Shore. Giants was , who reached on a seventh- an ejected Babe a fourth-inning chopper Done in by only the tiniest of 2. July 10, 2009. Though he’d been demoted to the bullpen two weeks ear- inning throwing error by Charlie Hayes. However, by putting down back to Bosman—that imperfections, these men fell just lier, Giants lefthander Jonathan Sanchez made a spot start in place of an in- Hayes redeemed himself on the game’s final play 26 straight hitters. proved troublesome. The jured . Starting in front of his father, Sigfredo, for the first time when he made a lunging catch of Gary pitcher’s throw to first short of the ultimate | By Joe Lemire th,Shore) Ru

as a big leaguer, Sanchez struck out 11 and only missed a perfect game when ( Carter’s line drive to preserve Mulholland’s no-hit- sailed over Tom McCraw’s head for s

ot every pitcher has been fortunate enough to have a spec- –who had moved from second base to third in the seventh inning— orbi ter. Hayes, though, ­didn’t think he had anything to an error, allowing Sal Bando to reach base, the only ; c tacular catch like Dewayne Wise’s to preserve a perfect-game booted ­a ground ball at the start of the eighth inning. s make up for. “The throw wasn’t that bad,” he said Oakland runner of the game.

bid. Here are SI’s six greatest brushes with perfection that ulti- 3. Sept. 2, 1972. One out away from throwing a perfecto against the Padres, mage after the game. “[First baseman ] stretched too soon. I’m not sure 6. June 27, 1980. knew he had no-hit stuff from the beginning of Jim Pri Jim

mately proved unsuccessful: Cubs righthander Milt Pappas got ahead 1 and 2 on pinch hitter Larry Stahl, etty I I deserve the error.” his start against the Giants. “I began to think about it from the very first in- G

N sc 1. June 23, 1917. Red Sox righthander retired 26 Senators in suc- then threw three straight borderline balls. Pappas later said that before retiring 5. July 19, 1974. All that stood between Dick Bosman and a perfect game ning,” the Dodgers’ lefthander said afterward. A perfect game was out of the oehm/ hing/ cession in a 4–0 win. Problem is, he entered in relief of , who was the next batter to complete the no-hitter, he called home plate umpire Bruce B was the Indians righthander’s own arm, which had been good enough to question, though. Normally reliable shortstop Bill Russell botched a throw A ott c P

ejected for arguing balls and strikes after he walked Washington’s first bat- Froem­ming every name he could think of in English before continuing in Greek. S strike out four A’s, produce seven fly-outs and induce 15 groundouts for a on a Jack Clark grounder in that very first inning.

48 | Sports IllustrateD | august 3, 2009 august 3, 2009 | Sports IllustrateD | 49

Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o LEFT PAGE 48/1 of 2 Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o righT PAGE 49/1 of 2 Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for for folio change & numerous edit & fit changes. js Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for folio change. js ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art mark buehrle’s perfect game

usually expressive Gui­llen was not getting claiming the move was racially motivated made on July 28, 1994, against the Angels, emotional. He ordered reliever Tony Peña because Wise is African-American and An- snaring a sinking liner hit by and to be ready to face the second hitter in the derson is white. preserving ’s perfecto. eighth, , prompting some eye Since high school Wise has always played rolling in the bullpen. a shallow centerfield, and he crept a few steps uehrle, who started the game Buehrle got Zobrist to foul out, at which closer because he could not bear the thought throwing fastballs in the mid-80s, point the satellite dish on the ranch in Mis- of Buehrle losing a perfect game on a blooper. B was at 90 in the ninth. Having got- souri finally found a signal, and John was able The first batter of the ninth was , ten 26 consecutive outs and needing one to watch his son. Next up was , one of the few Rays who had made decent more, Castro crouched behind home plate. who hit a ball so hard down the third-base contact that day. On the 105th pitch of the You could make out his jersey number, line that it nearly struck umpire Laz Diaz. It game he hit a high drive deep to left center- separated by the strap on the back of his took Diaz a moment to compose himself, but field. In the bullpen Linebrink bowed his chest protector—27. When the last out was he ruled the ball foul, by about six inches. “I head. In the dugout Guillen said, “Home made, on a grounder to shortstop Alexei had a heart attack in 2000 and had a pace- ,” and prepared to summon Peña. In the Ramirez, Buehrle placed both hands on maker installed,” John says. “I’m glad I did his head. Fields rushed in for the tackle that because I don’t know if my heart could but, like a quarterback, pulled up. Coo- have made it through this game.” per cried, as did Harrelson, as did Bob After Burrell lined out to third, White Sox Dunahue, Buehrle’s coach at Francis announcer Ken (Hawk) Harrelson pleaded Howell North High, who was watch- with viewers on CSN to “Call your sons! Call ing at the T.G.I. Friday’s in St. Charles. your daughters! Call your friends! Call your Jamie came down to the field, and since neighbors!” Harrelson wrote in his score she was shaking, Guillen offered to book, “Perfect!!!” When Buehrle went to his hold Brooklyn. The Rays stood at the clubhouse locker for a breather, Pierzynski edge of their dugout and applauded. pulled up the seat next to him, shaking his Forget the energy drink. Buehrle was head. “One more!” Pierzynski said. “One the Rockstar. The President called, the more!” To break the tension, Pierzynski commissioner wrote a letter, Letterman caught Buehrle’s warmup pitches before requested an interview. Buehrle’s father the ninth inning and fired the first one back asked him on the phone, “Do you realize over his head. what you just did?” “No, Dad,” Buehrle said. “I don’t.” On the 40-minute flight to Detroit that Unblemished Games in the Modern Era night he tried to figure it out. Buehrle How rare was Buehrle’s masterpiece? Since 1900, which is sat on the plane with and 16 recognized as the beginning of the modern era, there have been four , and they calculated the fewer perfect games than U.S. presidents, the most recent of whom put in a percentage of major league games that congratulatory call to the White Sox lefthander shortly after the game was over. have been perfect. According to baseball- reference.com, 779,118 starts had been ise had worked up a decent stands Lisa Podsednik asked Jamie, “Oh, my made, which meant all but .0023% had at sweat in the weight room by God, is that Scott?” Wise did not look at the least the smallest of blemishes. Put another W the time Guillen told him that ball. He turned and ran to the point where way, there’s been a perfect game thrown he was going to play centerfield in the ninth; he thought it would land, to the mural on the once in every 43, 284 opportunities. the starter, Podsednik, would shift to left. eight-foot wall of , the White Sox Not many sports allow for perfection. As Wise ran out to center, White Sox reliever pitcher who had a perfect game ruined with A football team could win 56–0, and the D.J. Carrasco asked Linebrink in the bullpen, two outs in the ninth 51 years ago. coaches would still pore over videotape find- “How would you like to be DeWayne Wise Wise hit the fence as the ball hit his mitt, ing flaws. Tennis players don’t win every right now? He’s probably hoping the ball but because the collision was so violent, Wise point, boxers don’t land every punch, golfers isn’t hit to him.” In fact Wise was thinking ­didn’t feel the ball enter his glove. He could don’t birdie every hole. As Buehrle sat in exactly the opposite. “I was hoping I could only see it, a snow cone quickly spilling out the dugout at Comerica Park on Saturday, make a diving catch in the ninth,” Wise says. of its wrapper. He fell and the ball fell, but deconstructing his unforgettable after- R Wise has bounced around the major in a motion reminiscent of the Giants’ David noon and debating whether he still wants Ve on s leagues for seven seasons, and when his Tyree in Super Bowl XLII, he stuck out his to retire in two years—“Maybe I won’t,” he ely/

batting average dipped under .200 this left hand and snagged it. Beckham put both said with a smile—Tigers manager Jim Ley- MLB summer, he became a convenient target arms over his head and leaped “like we won land walked over and put a hand on his left Photo s

for disappointed White Sox fans. After the the .” It was the best play ever in a shoulder. Leyland seemed to be searching / G club demoted centerfielder Brian Anderson perfect game, trumping the ninth-inning div- for a word, a synonym for perfect. “Beauti- I etty

to A Charlotte this month and kept ing catch that rookie Rang- ful,” he finally said. “Just mage

Wise on the roster, Gui­llen received e-mails ers centerfielder Rusty Greer Now on SI.com beautiful.” ± s Joe Posnanski on the most underappreciated pitcher of 50 | Sports IllustrateD | august 3, 2009 his era at SI.com/bonus

Sports Illustrated 08/03/2009 perfect.l/o LEFT PAGE 50/1 of 2 Version: 22 07/27/2009 02:12PM John Shostrom/Stone-Lemire-Hart A.D./ext: Long Name Here/x0000 07/26/2009 08:33PM sskalocky1271 Revise comments: ART FINAL. oof for folio change. js ±Local Read± ±Conference± ±Art Approval± ±HOLD:Updates/Checks ±HOLD:Art