It seemed clear about 10 minutes after their loss to the Angels on Tuesday night that whatever was going to happen for the White Sox on Wednesday was going to happen because of Mark Buehrle, for better or worse, though you figured for better.
No one figured that a ball in the dirt by an Angels reliever would stir up so much controversy and lead to a much-needed victory for the Sox. It’s like trying to predict when and where someone will run a red light.
Thus, what Buehrle accomplished in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series seems destined to be swept away like dust. Too bad, because the man was magnificent in a 2-1 Sox victory.
Until Wednesday, there wasn’t a historical record or a body of work to prove Buehrle was a big-game pitcher. But some things you just know and some things you just feel.
The crowd at the Cell–hope-filled, adrenaline-charged and quite possibly alcohol-injected–felt it as it chanted his name before Game 2. Why? Something about the way he carries himself. Something about their need to have somebody who tells them everything is going to be OK.
Something about that effortless delivery, too, that control-freak precision, that rabbit’s pace that promises to have everyone tucked in by 11 p.m., including the opponent.
He was the One Who Would Make Things Right.
Right?
He gave up a home run to Robb Quinlan in the fifth inning to tie the game 1-1. The Sox are a team that asks a lot of its pitchers. Wednesday, all they asked was perfection out of Buehrle.
They got excellence as a consolation prize in a victory that tied the ALCS at one game apiece. In the ninth inning, he got the heart of the Angels’ order–Vladimir Guerrero, Bengie Molina and Garret Anderson–all to pop out weakly.
“One of the best games of my career,” he said later. “You don’t want to go to Anaheim 0-2. You want to throw zeroes.”
He got rewarded for it all in the bottom of the ninth by his catcher, who knew better than anybody else what Buehrle had done all night.
“Incredible job by him,” A.J. Pierzynski said. ” . . . He’s amazing.”
Pierzynski was fooled by a breaking ball from Angels reliever Kelvim Escobar, by a breaking ball that should have ended the inning but instead–maybe, possibly–kicked up some dust. Pierzynski thought it was a dropped third strike, seemed to wait for Angels backup catcher Josh Paul–a former Sox (of course) who grew up in Buffalo Grove–to roll the ball to the mound and then sprinted for first base.
Or as much as Pierzynski can sprint.
“The third strike is in the dirt, you run,” he said.
Small Ball. Mash Ball. Now Dirt Ball.
What ensued was the standard baseball argument, with Angels manager Mike Scioscia arguing Paul had caught the ball and not trapped it. Scioscia fought the law and the law told him to go back to the dugout.
What ensued was the only thing that made sense on a night when the Sox barely could hit. Joe Crede ripped an 0-2 double to left field, and pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna, on second after a steal, scored easily.
“He threw a splittie that kind of hung right there in the zone,” Crede said of Escobar’s pitch.
What ensued was the standard bedlam that goes with this kind of victory, though very few people around here have much experience with it in October. Ozuna was mobbed at home plate. The mob moved on to Crede. The crowd in the stands wouldn’t leave.
The Sox have life.
Both teams were playing down the idea that the Sox had to have this game–the Sox because they already had enough pressure to deal with and the Angels because, well, no reason to get the Sox’s pants in a bunch.
But everyone in the Cell knew better Wednesday. Buehrle knew better and responded with a five-hitter, no walks and four strikeouts.
When Boston lost 19-8 to the Yankees to fall behind 0-3 in last year’s ALCS and then won four straight, the term “must win” lost a lot of its meaning. That Game 3 seemed to be about as must-win as there is.
Well, the 2005 White Sox aren’t the 2004 Red Sox. The Red Sox bought runs in bulk. The White Sox clip coupons and wait for bargains.
So, no, not much riding on this game. Only everything.
“Don’t forget what we did, what they did,” Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “Don’t forget what we did to win the game. Buehrle threw a pretty good game.”
No, don’t forget that because to push aside what Buehrle did Wednesday is to push aside the kind of effort that makes players household names in October. That’s the kind of night it was for Buehrle. He said he had another inning in him if the game had remained tied.
But Dirt Ball intervened.
Pierzynski said he figures every game is going to be like this one, tight and tense.
“It’s going to be a battle,” he said. “They’re really, really good.”
Thing is, so are the Sox. And if Pierzynski is right–was he ever wrong Wednesday?–we should get to see Buehrle again in this series. A very good thing.
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rmorrissey@tribune.com
