 Chicago White Sox teammates celebrating following the final out of Mark Buehrle's perfect game. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | July 23, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | U. S. Cellular Field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City | Chicago, Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Umpires | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 28,036 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Television | Comcast SportsNet Chicago | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TV announcers | Ken Harrelson (play-by-play) Steve Stone (color commentary) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Radio | WSCR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Radio announcers | Ed Farmer (play-by-play) Darrin Jackson (color commentary) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On July 23, 2009, Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The game took place at US Cellular Field in Chicago in front of 28,036 fans, and occurred from 1:07 PM CT to 3:10 PM CT.
It was the 18th perfect game and 263rd no-hitter in MLB history, second perfect game and 17th no-hitter in White Sox history. The previous perfect game in MLB history was on May 18, 2004 when Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitched a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. The previous occasion a White Sox pitcher threw a perfect game was on April 30, 1922 when Charlie Robertson pitched a perfecto against the Detroit Tigers at Navin Field (later known as Tiger Stadium); that was the fifth perfect game in MLB history.
Buehrle also logged his second career no-hitter; the first was against the Texas Rangers on April 18, 2007. He became the first pitcher to throw multiple no-hitters since Johnson.[1] Buehrle did this in the midst of setting a Major League record by retiring 45 consecutive batters over three games.[2]
The umpire, Eric Cooper, who stood behind the plate for this perfect game was the same home plate umpire when Buehrle threw his first career no-hitter.[1] Ramón Castro was the catcher.
At the time, the Rays were tied for the second-highest on-base percentage (.343) of any team, so they were one of the least likely to allow a perfect game.[3] Buehrle’s perfect game was to become the first of three perfect games and the first of four no-hitters allowed by the Rays in less than three years:
- the second was delivered by Dallas Braden of the Oakland Athletics on May 9, 2010 (Mother's Day)
- the third was pitched by Edwin Jackson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 25, 2010[4]
- and the fourth, which meant the Rays tied the Dodgers as the only MLB franchise to allow three perfect games, being delivered by Félix Hernández on August 15, 2012.[5]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
mlbwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Jon Krawczynski (July 28, 2009). "Mark Buehrle Sets Perfect Innings Record". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ "2009 American League Season Summary". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Marc Lancaster (June 25, 2010). "Edwin Jackson No-Hits Tampa Bay Rays Despite Eight Walks". MLB Fanhouse. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
- ^ Stone, Larry (August 15, 2012). "Perfect! Mariners' Felix Hernandez throws perfect game". seattletimes.com. The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 15, 2012.