MLB

WATCH: Umpire Blows Call, Steals Perfect Game From Galarraga

by Dan Fogarty | 9:05 pm, June 2nd, 2010

Jim Joyce is going to be hearing about this one for a loonngggg time.

Joyce, the first base umpire for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Indians, blew a call with two outs in the ninth inning that cost Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game (Note: Galarraga is currently ranked 352 on our MLB power grid. I think it’s safe to say he’ll move up a few spots after tonight’s events).

With one out to go in the bottom of the ninth, Galarraga was about to become the third major league pitcher to throw a perfect game this season. And when Jason Donald grounded to Miguel Cabrera, who then threw to Galarraga (who was covering first), it looked like history was about to take place.

As Galarraga caught the ball and stepped on first, Cabrera threw up his arms in victory. But his face quickly dropped as Joyce, who had a clear line of sight on the play, called the safe.

He was clearly not. Immediately after the call, announcers for the MLB Network seemed legitimately befuddled. “Did he miss the bag?” they asked.

But as the cameras showed the replay, it was obvious this wasn’t the case. The runner was out, and although it could be seen as a “close play,” there was an unmistakable feeling that one of the most painful blown calls in MLB history had just taken place.

See the video below: