Ump Admits Blowing Call That Would Have Resulted In Perfect Game

The 2010 MLB baseball season has already seen two perfect games. Tonight, we came within one out of a third perfect game. That would have been the first time since 1880 that such an event had occurred.

Actually, it should have been the third perfect game.

An umpire blew the call at first base, and that meant that Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga lost his bid for a perfect game Wednesday night with two outs in the ninth inning. Jim Joyce admits he blew the call.

First baseman Miguel Cabrera cleanly fielded Jason Donald’s grounder to his right and made an accurate throw to Galarraga covering the bag. The ball was there in time, and all of Comerica Park was ready to celebrate the 3-0 win over Cleveland, until Joyce emphatically signaled safe.

The veteran ump regretted it.
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“I just cost that kid a perfect game,” Joyce said. “I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay.”

“It was the biggest call of my career,” said Joyce, who became a full-time major league umpire in 1989.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland immediately argued the call and was joined by several of his players after the final out. Galarraga was trying to pitch the third perfect game in the majors this season.

The video clearly shows that Galarraga made the play by a full step.

Instead, Galarraga gets credited for a 1-hitter.

He lost his bit of history.

UPDATE 6/3:
Video embedded:


Also, both Galarraga and Joyce appear to be class acts and the whole incident reveals alot about the character of both.