Black's challenge denied, Padres move on and lose 5-1 to Dodgers
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Two batters into Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Padres manager Bud Black wanted to challenge a play.
The umpires said he wasn't quick enough.
The Dodgers scored three runs in the first inning and went on to beat the Padres 5-1, taking two of three.
It took Black several seconds to come out of the dugout after Yasiel Puig laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached when pitcher Tyson Ross' throw pulled first baseman Yonder Alonso off the bag for an error.
"I challenged and the first base umpire said, `OK,' then they convened and they said they were not going to allow it," Black said.
Black said he was told that Ross had already gotten back on the rubber and Hanley Ramirez was in the batter's box.
"Like I told those guys, I thought the message was to get the play right," Black said. "I don't have a timer with me. But I thought I went out there in due time to issue the challenge."
Crew chief Fieldin Culbreth didn't agree.
"There is some judgment involved and there are some things that make it specific," Culbreth said. "We had the play. Some significant time had gone by. They had been on the phone. I want them to challenge it if that's what they need to do. That's what we are here for. That's how this thing is going to work. My thing is, if you come out, maybe we can put the brakes on it then. But if we can't get you out there, then it comes down to the timely manner.
"To me, at some point, we had gotten out of the range of what was timely," Culbreth said.
According to the rules of the new instant replay system, a manager must immediately inform the umpire whether he wishes to use his challenge. "If, upon such prompting, the manager does not immediately respond that he is using his manager challenge, then the umpire shall revoke the manager's right to challenge any call relating to that play, and the club shall retain its manager challenge," the rule states.
"This is a new system. There are going to be situations that arise with every game," Black said. "There are going to be bugs to work out, and this is one of them."
Replays shown on the local TV broadcast appeared inconclusive.
Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run double in the first inning and Dan Haren pitched six strong innings to lead the Dodgers.
Haren retired the first nine batters before Everth Cabrera singled to center leading off the fourth and eventually scored on Yonder Alonso's one-out single to right. The run was unearned because Seth Smith, batting after Cabrera, reached on catcher's interference by A.J. Ellis.
Haren (1-0) allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked none.
The Dodgers jumped on Tyson Ross (0-1) for three runs in the first inning.
Carl Crawford doubled to left-center and advanced on Yasiel Puig's sacrifice bunt. Puig was safe when Ross' throw pulled first baseman Alonso off the bag. Ramirez doubled to left to bring in both runners and then scored on Adrian Gonzalez's single to center.
Ramirez scored again in the fifth when he walked with one out and eventually came in on Andre Ethier's two-out single to right.
Ross allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings while striking out seven and walking four.
Los Angeles added another run in the eighth against Donn Roach, who was making his big league debut. Roach came on with two outs and allowed singles to Juan Uribe and Ellis, and an RBI double to Dee Gordon.
NOTES: The Dodgers put reliever Brian Wilson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Monday, with inflammation in the ulnar nerve in his right elbow, and recalled right-hander Jose Dominguez from Triple-A Albuquerque. ... The Padres claimed LHP Bobby LaFromboise off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred right-hander Joe Wieland from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. Wieland, still rehabbing from reconstructive elbow surgery, recently had arthroscopic surgery to relieve irritation in the back of his elbow, pushing back his return. Manager Bud Black thinks Wieland can return before the All-Star break. ... Both teams are off Thursday. The Dodgers play their home opener Friday against San Francisco. RHP Ryan Vogelsong is scheduled to make his season debut for the Giants while LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0) goes for the Dodgers. The Padres are at Miami. The scheduled starters are LHP Eric Stults (season debut) for San Diego and RHP Tom Koehler (season debut) for Miami
