Pierzynski's single in 9th pushes White Sox past Brewers
MILWAUKEE - Mark Buehrle last belted a home run his junior year of high school in summer ball, he guesses.
Clayton Richard claimed he had never pinch ran in his life and hadn't scored a run since the state championship game of his senior year of high school.
Trevor Hoffman hadn't allowed a run as a Milwaukee Brewer.
"The only reason I knew was because I came in (to the clubhouse), because I had broken like four bats," said White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski. "I came in to get a new bat and they had just said it on TV. I'm like, 'He's jinxed now. We're going to get him.' "
They did.
On a day of firsts in front of a sellout crowd of 41,586 Sunday at Miller Park, pitchers pitched in offensively and Pierzynski's two-out RBI single in the ninth off veteran closer Hoffman gave the White Sox a 5-4 victory and a series win.
"We played a good game," said Pierzynski (3-for-5). "We made some pitches when we had to, got some hits when we had to. It was a good win. It's always good to win with an off-day coming (Monday)."
With Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome not in the starting lineup and Carlos Quentin still on the disabled list, the White Sox were grateful for the unexpected offensive boost from none other than their ace.
Buehrle led off the third by pulling a 3-2 pitch from Braden Looper into the White Sox' bullpen in right field for his first career home run.
"I actually didn't (think it was gone)," Buehrle said. "I got yelled at last year by everybody after the one I hit in San Francisco down the line. All I got was a single out of it.
"So as soon as I hit it, I just put my head down and said I'm getting to second if it lands in fair territory. Then the place erupted and I saw it land in the bullpen."
Buehrle was prepared for the silent treatment from his teammates when he reached the dugout, so he headed directly to the clubhouse and laughed about his feat.
"I was just in shock," Pierzynski said of Buehrle's bomb, "because I've seen him hit so many times - and he stinks."
"Just to feel it not jam my hands, it felt pretty good," Buehrle said. "If I pop out to the pitcher and don't jam myself, I'm happy with it."
Buehrle couldn't ride the momentum, however, as former Cub Casey McGehee led off the Milwaukee third by hitting his first career home run.
Buehrle later allowed a pair of 400-foot-plus homers to Corey Hart and departed after 6 innings with the game tied at 4-4.
"My pitcher started hitting and forgot how to pitch," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "All of a sudden, he lost everything. I haven't seen Buehrle be that wild. I've never seen him have so many heavy counts and get behind the hitters."
With Hoffman in to start the ninth, Thome drew a pinch-hit walk. That, after the lefty slugger tried to shock the park by bunting. He squared three times.
"It was a battle of (future) Hall of Famers right there," Guillen said. "Mine won.
Guillen then called on lefty starting pitcher Richard to pinch run.
After Scott Podsednik's single moved Richard to second and Alexei Ramirez flied out, Pierzynski singled to center on a 3-0 pitch. Richard sped around third and scored standing.
"I heard A.J. when he came in asking the P.R. guys if they could change my roster spot from LHP to ATH (athlete)," Richard said.
Hoffman had been unscored upon in 18 innings.
"Hofie's so good," Pierzynski said. "He's a Hall of Fame guy, on and off the field."
Joe Aguilar's game tracker
Big-bat Buehrle: Mark Buehrle's home run leading off the third inning against Milwaukee starter Braden Looper was the first by a White Sox pitcher since Jon Garland homered at Cincinnati on June 18, 2006.
Why he's in center field: Brian Anderson made two great catches in the Milwaukee third, racing down J.J. Hardy's drive to center on the warning track and diving full-out in left-center to rob Mike Cameron.
Doubles machine: For the second straight day, rookie Gordon Beckham smacked a 2-run double.