ONE-HITTER!

(August 3)

Short take:  Burly is the Mon!

How does it feel to have your chain tugged one more time by this 2001 Sox team?  Just when everyone has finally given them up for dead losing two of three to Kansas City, Mark Buehrle comes out and pitches the greatest gem by a Sox pitcher in ten years?  A one-hitter leads the Sox to victory 4-0 over Tampa Bay.

The game was completed in 2 hours 12 minutes.  Both Buehrle and rookie lefty Nick Bierbrodt for the Devil Rays worked quick and efficiently.  A lead-off walk to Jose Canseco in the second inning set the stage for a dramatic two-run dinger by Paul Konerko spotting Buehrle the lead.  Magglio Ordonez is still looking for his 100th career homerun after his drive to dead-center bounced high off the top of the wall for a triple to start the sixth inning.  Next was Jose Canseco made his visit to the plate round-trip, scoring Ordonez in the process.  It was 4-0 Sox and Buehrle was cruising.

Two key outfield catches preserved the no-hitter.  In the second inning Carlos Lee made a diving catch in left field.  In the fourth Aaron Rowand made the catch of the year in centerfield ranging far into the right-center gap, smashing into the outfield wall one step after stabbing a liner by Ben Grieve.  For a converted corner fielder, he sure looks good covering centerfield.

 Buehrle carried his no-hitter into the seventh inning, finally giving up a single Damian Rolls.  He rightly received a standing ovation.  Buehrle picked it right up, retiring the next nine hitters in order to complete the shutout and win, including two ninth inning strikeouts.  The last K came on Rolls.  Gotcha!

It's the first one-hitter by a Sox pitcher since Alex Fernandez on May 4, 1992 against Milwaukee at Comiskey Park, a 7-0 victory over Ricky Bones.  Sox Fans, that was a long time ago!