Perfect games are pretty rare in baseball, not withstanding the fact that there have been two pitched this year, with only 20 being recorded in 135 years of MLB history. This evening Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers appeared to have the 21st perfect game locked up as he covered the throw at first base on on routine ground ball with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth. Much to everyone’s surprise, first base umpire Jim Joyce called the runner safe. Replays showed conclusively that the runner was out.
You can watch the play itself on MLB.TV
You’ve got to give credit to Joyce, he apologized to Galarraga after the game after he had a chance to review the replay.
“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.”
Galarraga said he gave Joyce a hug when Joyce apologized to him after the game.
“He really feels bad,” Galarraga said. “He probably feels more bad than me. Nobody is perfect. I give a lot of credit to that guy. That (an apology) doesn’t happen. He apologized. He feels really bad. Nobody is perfect. What am I gonna do? His body language said more than a lot of words. His eyes were watery, he didn’t have too say much. His body language said a lot.”
Galarraga deserves kudos for handling the situation better than anyone else involved.
