Talking with former Tigers great Armando Galarraga on the near-perfect game
NOVI, MI – It’s one of those moments in sports history many fans know exactly where they were at when it happened: Armando Galarraga‘s near perfect game for the Detroit Tigers.
We caught up with the former Tiger at the Detroit Sports Spectacular, which runs through today at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
Looking back at June 2, 2010, Galarraga says he was in a zone on the mound and knew he had a shot to become the first Tiger pitcher to throw a perfect game.
“Everybody remembers the last play. I remember the 6th, 7th and 8th innings because my confidence kept getting better and better,” Galarraga told MLive, which you can see in our video interview above.
Galarraga says in the latter innings, he was actually feeling pretty much at ease on the mound.
“For me, it was nice and calm. Even in the moment when Austin Jackson made the unbelievable catch, you could see me smiling. I was so comfortable in that moment.”
Galarraga says he has no regrets on the outcome of the game following the incorrect call by umpire Jim Joyce at first base on what would have been the last out.
“At that moment there were no replays. We didn’t even think about that. You play for so many years, it is what it is. It was the rules at that particular time. I’m actually happy because they changed now because that happened to me and other players and now they can do replays.”
Galarraga says he followed the Tigers unprecedented season last year in which they made the playoffs, despite having a less than 1% chance to make it.
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