Buerhle's Hand Beats Jays' Ace For A Much Needed Sox Victory

For a lot of Sox fans a Mark Buehrle start creates mixed emotions.  Every time he takes the bump he is the equivalent of a high stakes gambler.  The left-hander puts his chips on the table on almost every pitch.  He attacks the hitter, and he attacks the plate.  Sometimes he plays a winning hand and almost effortlessly rips through major-league lineups.  Other times the opponent calls his bluff and he gets knocked around.

A look at his numbers through the years shows a very above average pitcher.  His career ERA is under 4.00 and he has well over 100 wins before the age of 30.  These numbers are more impressive because Buehrle has pitched his whole career in the American League, at hitter friendly US Cellular Field. 

But this former 38^th round draft pick does not possess dominating stuff.  He is a smoke and mirrors guy who needs to have everything working and needs to have everything go right for him to win.

Last night’s win over the red-hot Blue Jays was no exception.  Following Tuesday’s horrific double-headed loss the White Sox needed to bounce back big.  If that wasn’t enough pressure on the White Sox ace, Cy Young candidate Roy Halladay stood in his way.  He couldn’t afford to give up many runs and the White Sox could ill afford to lose their fourth straight home game.

It didn’t look good in the first inning.  After a  lead off single to Marco Scutaro Buehrle got a line shot double play thanks to some slick defense by Nick Swisher.  After surrendering a two-out hit to Alex Rios, Vernon Wells looped a ball down the line.

It looked like it might be a long day for Buehrle but the defense that has failed him time and time again this year picked him up.  In perhaps the biggest play of the game Jermaine Dye threw Wells out by 15 feet at second base.  Buehrle gave up three hits and somehow poker faced his way out of it.

He then put it on cruise control, smoking and mirroring his way through the Jays lineup.  In the 6^th he surrendered a one-out hit. 

With only a two-run lead in the homer happy Cell you knew the game could be tied on any one of Buerhle’s 86 mph offerings.  Rod Barajas got a high cutter and just missed doing just that.  The inning ended on another “just missed ‘em” fly ball and Buerhle’s hand held.

By the time he departed with one out in the 8^th Buehrle had out dueled the Blue Jay ace, and given the White Sox exactly what they needed in perhaps his biggest start of the year.

Sure Javy Vazquez has the best stuff on the staff and Gavin Floyd and Jon Danks are the young studs having breakout years.

But make no mistake about it; Mark Buehrle is the heart and soul of this pitching staff.   Since the departure of Frank Thomas, perhaps the greatest White Sox player of all time, the franchise has lacked a cover boy. 

In the last few years Buehrle has become the face of the franchise.  A laid back and easy-going 38^th round draft pick from Missouri, Buehrle is the perfect compliment to Ozzie Guillen’s scowling and swearing.

He has won his last two starts, beating John Lackey and Roy Halladay respectively.  That is big game pitching, playoff style pitching.  Hopefully he helps the White Sox get there.