13 years ago on this date, right-hander Armando Galarraga took the mound for the Detroit Tigers as they faced off against the Cleveland Indians.
Galarraga was not a household name, but he got off to pretty good start against Cleveland in that game.
Come the ninth inning, he had not allowed a baserunner and was one out away from securing a perfect game.
On a ground ball to Miguel Cabrera, Galarraga raced to first base to cover the bag and caught the slugger’s throw before Jason Donald reached.
However, umpire Jim Joyce butchered the call and ruled Donald safe, prompting an argument from Jim Leyland and boos from the crowd.
On Twitter, FOX Sports MLB posted a video of the fateful moment when Joyce made the wrong call and cost Galarraga the perfect game.
13 years ago today, Armando Galarraga threw a "28-out perfect game."
(via @tigers)pic.twitter.com/7VAFNZPcDv
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 2, 2023
This forever became known as the “28-out perfect game.”
At the time, instant replay and challenges had not been added to the game.
And so, if a call was made, there was no way to overturn it, meaning that Galarraga’s perfect-game bid had come to an end.
Later, Joyce acknowledged that he had made the wrong call and even shed tears the next day as he walked out onto the field to a smattering of boos from the Motor City faithful.
Galarraga never got another opportunity such as this, but if challenges and replay were around, Joyce would be spared the pain of making the wrong call and Galarraga would have had his perfect game.
To this day, the call remains one of the most infamous moments in baseball history.
NEXT: Miguel Cabrera Keeps Climbing Another All-Time List
