ATLANTA -- Regardless of how many replay review requests Gabe Kapler makes over the course of his managerial career, there might not be another one that proves to be as lengthy and complicated as his first.
Everything unfolded when Braves third baseman Ryan Flaherty scored on Ender Inciarte's game-tying sacrifice fly during the third inning of the Phillies' 5-4 win at SunTrust Park on Friday. Phillies starter Nick Pivetta collided with on-deck hitter Ozzie Albies as he was attempting to snare Rhys Hoskins' high throw from left field. Pivetta was not injured after unnecessarily backing up the plate with no other runners on base.
Kapler immediately informed crew chief Jerry Layne that the team's replay system in the clubhouse was not operational. After conferring with home-plate umpire Greg Gibson, Layne ruled the Phillies couldn't request a crew chief review and thus had to use one of their challenges to review whether Flaherty left third base too early.
"Our replay wasn't functioning properly and my question was if their replay was functioning properly," Kapler said. "I just wanted to make sure that on both sides it was the same."
The review showed Flaherty did not leave early. Though the challenge did not go their way, the Phillies were not charged with a challenge.
"I still thought it was a challenge because they made the call about it," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "But they said because the system was out, they were checking to make sure of that. Still, if it goes out during a game, you're kind of on your own. If it goes out before the game, both teams have the crew chief option the whole game."