Tigers’ Pitcher Robbed of Perfect Game

Thursday, 03 June 2010 | by Pat's Picks

Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game last night. Umpire Jim Joyce blew the call for what should have been the final out of the game. Detroit News columnist Bob Wojnowski calls it a moment when “incredible athletic achievement met astonishing human failure.” In the Detroit Free Press, Galarrage says even though it’s not official, he knows he really did pitch through nine innings without a runner on base. It would have been the 21st perfect game in major league history.

Last night’s game was against the Indians. And this morning, Cleveland Plain-Dealer columnist Dennis Manoloff says despite the backlash Joyce is facing ( he had to be escorted off the field), he doesn’t feel sorry for the ump: “Joyce gets paid good money to get calls correct—and this was a basic call. He flat missed it.” Manoloff says going forward, MLB should think about using instant replay to avoid such situations.

Scroll all the way down to se how the botched call played on front pages around the country:

More about the game and video at MLB.com