Gibbons, Ebel combine for three challenges

TORONTO -- There were three manager's challenges in the Blue Jays' game against the Angels on Friday night. The first came when Toronto manager John Gibbons successfully challenged a call on a play at the plate in the fifth inning.

Los Angeles baserunner Raul Ibanez was originally ruled safe on the play, but the call was overturned after a three-minute, 20-second review. Gibbons challenged the call when Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro appeared to tag Ibanez before the Angels' designated hitter touched home with a feet-first slide.

With runners on the corners and two out, Toronto's Dustin McGowan threw a high fastball that sailed past Navarro. The ball bounced off the back screen and straight back into Navarro's hands. The catcher then lunged toward home plate and tagged Ibanez, who broke for home from third base.

"I thought that when I got in there, I think his glove nicked my pants on the left leg," Ibanez said. "I couldn't tell from the angle if my foot was in when he nicked me because it was up my shin and under my knee, but the call is the call. They said it's out, but I couldn't tell from there."

Gibbons challenged another call in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and the bases empty, second baseman Chris Getz hit a sharp grounder toward shortstop. Erick Aybar fumbled the ball, but he still managed a strong throw to first. Getz was ruled out on a bang-bang play, which prompted a visit from Gibbons. After a one-minute, 45-second review, the call on the field would stand and the inning was over.

Then, in the top of the ninth, Angels bench coach Dino Ebel, who is overseeing the manager's duties in the absence of Mike Scioscia, came out of the dugout to challenge a close play at third base.

Ibanez had hit a sacrifice fly to left field that ended up driving in the winning run. Melky Cabrera's throw to the plate was cut off by third baseman Juan Francisco, who quickly tossed to shortstop Jose Reyes covering at third as Mike Trout slid into the base. Reyes applied the tag and Trout, who was tagging up from second, was called out. After a review, the call would stand and the inning was over.

"That was exciting tonight," Ebel said. "My first game and there was some close ones out there. That's what it's for, you use it and sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn't. But tonight, there were some close plays out there, and we had to go for it and challenge it."