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Floyd flirts with no-hitter in win over Tigers

Apr 12, 2008 - 9:38 PM By Gene Chamberlain PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Chicago White Sox righthander Gavin Floyd pitched within himself Saturday against the Detroit Tigers.

Despite his relaxed state, Floyd was no comfort for the Tigers as he came within five outs of the first no-hitter this season in the White Sox's 7-0 victory at U.S. Cellular Field.

The 25-year-old righthander's bid for the 17th no-hitter in White Sox history ended when Edgar Renteria lined a single on a 1-1 fastball just in front of right fielder Jermaine Dye with one out in the eighth inning.

"For two years, I felt like I was pitching in somebody else's body," said Floyd, who threw 107 pitches - 64 for strikes. "Now I feel comfortable. It's all about being athletic out there and trying to make pitches."

Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen quickly pulled Floyd after the hit, and reliever Scott Linebrink coaxed Ivan Rodriguez into an inning-ending double play.

Reliever Bobby Jenks finished the ninth inning, allowing the only other hit for Detroit - a single by Brandon Inge.

Floyd (2-0) walked four batters in a constant downpour and 39-degree temperatures, before settling down after he worked a double-play ball in the fourth inning. He walked no more after that and finished with four strikeouts.

"In the bullpen (warming up in the rain), I was just kind of hoping to go out there and throw strikes and try to keep the team in the game," said Floyd, who came to the White Sox in a trade last year from Philadelphia with pitcher Gio Gonzalez for pitcher Freddy Garcia. "And seven innings later I was surprised that I actually had pitched that well."

The White Sox saw they as a huge confidence builder for Floyd in his 31st career start.

"Today he was effectively wild," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "He was just kind of all over the place, but he got double plays when he needed it.

"He didn't give in. That was the biggest thing. He didn't give in and lay one down the middle and have guys whack it. He found a way to get through."

The Tigers hit into three double plays. Floyd benefited from fielding gems by left fielder Carlos Quentin, third baseman Joe Crede and center fielder Nick Swisher before Renteria's single broke up the no-hitter.

"The guy I was worried about was the guy who got it," Pierzynski said of Renteria. "He's such a good hitter and he's such a tough out. That ball was inside and he hit a line drive to right center. That's tough."

Floyd, who also beat Detroit on April 5, allowed a leadoff walk to Gary Sheffield in the fourth but did not have anymore base runners until Renteria's hit as he outdueled Justin Verlander (0-2).

Going into the eighth, the White Sox led only 1-0 behind Orlando Cabrera's first home run of the season, a two-out shot to left in the third. Verlander had allowed only two hits through seven innings.

"He's a tough cookie," Guillen said. "He always pitches good, but we find a way to beat him.

"Last weekend in Detroit, he was a little off. Today he was on."

Tigers manager Jim Leyland stuck with Verlander after the righthander loaded the bases in the eighth by walking Swisher, hitting Cabrera and giving up a single to Jim Thome. Verlander then hit Paul Konerko to force in a run.

Verlander got Jermaine Dye on a pop up, but Pierzynski drove in two runs with his second hit of the game on a single to right. Quentin singled in a run off reliever Francis Beltran and Juan Uribe knocked in a pair on a base hit.

"That's the best at-bat all day, especially after J.D. (Dye) failed," Pierzynski said. "That's the way teams win games. Somebody picks each other up. A.J. has been great the whole year."

Verlander finished with six runs and four hits allowed in 7 2/3 innings. He also walked four and struck out three.

Leyland wouldn't second-guess himself on the decision to stick with Verlander.

"He was tremendous," Leyland said. "He lost control in the last inning after hitting Cabrera. I don't know if that rattled him or not, but he was tremendous.

"It was a shame the way it ended."

The win was the fifth in six games for the White Sox against the Tigers, who were shut out for the third time this season in 11 games.