What a Tragedy: Galarraga Loses Perfect Game on Blown Call

It wasn't even close. And the blown call will go down in history instead of the perfect game that should.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Armando Galarraga mowed down the first 26 Cleveland Indians he faced. To do so, he had thrown only 80 pitches, masterfully picking apart their order. The 17,000-plus were standing, anticipating the first perfect game in team history.

Jason Donald strode to the plate, hoping he would not be part of history. The ninth-place hitter took strike-one to a raucous cheer. The second pitch missed, with the crowd groaning.

Then came the third, a pitch that began a sequence that will go down in history for all the wrong reasons.

The slider was hit sharply in between first and second base, but not sharply enough to get through the infield. First baseman Miguel Cabrera ranged to his left, secured the bounding ball around 20 feet from the bag, tossed the ball to a hustling Galarraga.

Galarraga could feel it. He was so close to entering the history books. Instead, umpire Jim Joyce took his place.

He touched the base a solid second before Donald’s lung did the same. Galarraga started to pump his fist, jubilation spread over his face. Cabrera had already done so, thrusting his arms in the air, presuming a perfect game was accomplished.

But it wasn’t. Joyce had signaled safe . Base hit. Perfect game dashed. No-hitter dashed.

Donald, after running through the bag, then clapped his hands together once. Then, realizing what had just taken place, he clasped his hands over his head and gave a look full of disappointment.

He felt for Galarraga. The Indians in the dugout mirrored his disappointment. Even the opposing team wanted it for him.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland came out to argue. He yelled at Joyce while the crowd booed. Their displeasure was certainly just.

Though three perfect games have happened in the past 10 months, they don’t come around very often.

What makes it so sickening, what made Twitter explode with outrage, and what made everyone hate Joyce is that such a feat could have made his career. It would have been a moment he would remember for the rest of his life.

Those calls are rarely missed. Joyce made the call that thought was correct. He thought Donald beat the throw.

It was a terrible ruling, given the circumstances, and I was immediately outraged in his inability to understand the ramifications of the situation, but he should not be blasted to the degree he has.

Joyce is receiving death threats. He issued a statement following the game.

In it he said, “I just cost that kid a perfect game. 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.” His mistake was glaring, but shouldn’t warrant the outcry it has. He made a mistake.

The gaffe costed Galarraga a perfect game. But there were no hard feelings. Galarraga didn’t argue when the call was made. He just smiled.

Afterwards, Joyce bravely went into the Tigers locker room and apologized. Galarraga wasn’t upset.

Interviewed, he said, “Everybody’s human. I hope I have a few more chances.”

His fellow Tigers disregarded the call. As catcher Gerald Laird said, “That’s a perfect game in our eyes.” It should be. After all, it was.