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Remembering Joyce's blown call that cost Galarraga's perfect game

MLB.com

Jim Joyce officially retired Tuesday, leaving Major League Baseball as one of the most decorated umpires in history.

The 61-year-old called three World Series, four League Championship Series, 10 Division Series, and three All-Star Games during his career, but it's a blown call on June 2, 2010 that cost Detroit Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga a perfect game that Joyce has become most known for.

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)

With two outs in the ninth inning, Galarraga induced a ground ball to first base off the bat of Cleveland Indians batter Jason Donald. Miguel Cabrera fielded the ball and flipped it to Galarraga, who ran to cover first. Galarraga beat Donald to the bag by a full step but Joyce ruled him safe, preventing Galarraga from becoming the 21st pitcher in MLB history to pitch a perfect game.

"This is a history call," Joyce said after the game, according to the Detroit Free Press. "And I kicked the (expletive) out of it. And there is nobody that feels worse than I do. I take pride in this job and I kicked the (expletive) out of it. And I took a perfect game away from that kid over there."

An emotional Joyce would serve as the home-plate umpire the following day in Detroit, and was greeted by Galarraga on the field with the lineup card.

Galarraga retired in 2012 with a career 26-34 record and 4.78 ERA across six seasons.

"I think about it still, almost every day," Joyce told ESPN in 2011. "I don't want to be known as Jim Joyce, the guy that blew the perfect game. But I think that's inevitable."

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