Mark Buehrle and DeWayne Wise have become best friends.

Buehrle threw a perfect game Thursday for the Chicago White Sox, winning the game 5-0 over Tampa Bay. A “perfect game” in baseball means no one got on base through an error or a walk, let alone a hit; 27 batters up and 27 down. Game over.

Wise, meanwhile, was inserted into the lineup prior to the ninth inning as a “defensive replacement.” At the top of the inning, Wise more than earned his place in history by shagging a deep fly ball over the fence. He came down, bobbled the ball for an instant, but held on for the out.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen looked like a genius for making the tactical move, right? Well, yes.

But think about this: What if Wise had dropped the ball? And what how does the game’s official scorekeeper mark it down? An error, given that Wise put his glove on the ball? Or was it a hit, given that Wise had to run a great distance to the fence, make an acrobatic leap over the barrier — just to get his glove on the ball?

Either way, Buehrle’s perfect game would be gone.

Hmmm. If it were me, I’d give the batter a hit.

But it doesn’t matter. DeWayne Wise saved the perfect game for his teammate — and saved the scorekeeper from a serious case of heartburn.