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Buehrle, homers send White Sox past Pirates

Jun 19, 2008 - 4:42 AM By Rory Spears PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Few teams enjoy interleague play as much as the Chicago White Sox, especially when they get a chance to start Mark Buehrle against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Buehrle tossed an eight-inning gem while the White Sox continued using their power Wednesday to record an 8-2 victory over the Pirates.

Buehrle (4-6), who improved to 3-0 in three career starts against the Pirates, retired the first 12 batters he faced and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. His bid for a perfect game ended when he walked Jason Bay to open the fifth inning, but the next hitter, Jason Michaels, hit a one-hopper back to Buehrle, who helped turn a double play.

"A no-hitter was in my mind since I was throwing the ball well," Buehrle said. "It was a game where I had good stuff and everything was working for me."

However, the lefthander also saw his chance for his second career no-hitter go by the wayside on the first pitch of the sixth, when Jose Bautista belted a changeup into the left field stands for his seventh home run of the season.

"The home run pitch (Buehrle) threw me was a changeup," Bautista said. "I wasn't really looking for that pitch but he just left it up."

However, Buehrle encountered little resistance otherwise, throwing 63 of his 96 pitches for strikes. He yielded just two runs and four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in his third consecutive eight-inning outing.

"It was nice to go out there and give us a chance to win," Buehrle said. "It's important to go deep in the game and try to give our bullpen a day off."

With Wednesday's win, Chicago improved to 6-2 this season in interleague play. The team is 110-91 all time against the National League and owns the majors' sixth-best winning percentage during interleague action.

The White Sox, who entered Wednesday with 27 home runs this month, hit three more on the way to their 11th win in 13 home games.

Toby Hall, getting a rare start in place of A.J. Pierzynski, hit his first home run since June 4, 2006 to stake Chicago to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Carlos Quentin's solo shot - his 17th - in the fifth inning built the White Sox's advantage to three.

Following Bautista's blast in the top of the sixth, the White Sox re-established their three-run cushion in the bottom of the inning on Brian Anderson's third shot of the year.

"Since I have come back off the bench, I have been seeing the ball well," Anderson said. "I took some good swings tonight and it's nice to get into one."

Pittsburgh starter Tom Gorzelanny (5-6), who grew up in Chicago's south suburbs, was making his first career start against his favorite team as a youth in front of over 20 family members. The lefthander lasted six innings, surrendering four runs and five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

"I felt I made some good pitches, but I made a few mistakes - and I paid for it," Gorzelanny said. "Tonight, I was just trying to do my job and it's not about where I am pitching or what field I am on. I am trying to give us a chance to win; Buehrle just pitched a great game."