I was just at a triple-A ball game (Tucson vs. Tacoma). With the score tied in the bottom of the tenth, Tucson loaded the bases with none out. The Tucson batter hit a long fly to left center, which hit the warning track and bounced over the fence, and the winning run scored.
I know that if the ball stays in the park, it counts as a single (no matter how far it's hit), ending the game with a score of 6-5, while if it goes over the fence, it's a homer, ending the game with a score of 9-5. But bouncing over, it seems to me, is a ground rule double, which should make it automatically 7-5, with 2 RBI for the hitter. However, it was scored a single, with a final score of 6-5.
So what's the correct ruling? Is this addressed in the official rules?
2007-05-25 19:21:06 · 6 answers · asked by Peter_AZ 7 in Sports ➔ Baseball
MLB Rule 4.11 (abridged):
(c) If the home team scores the winning run in its half of the ninth inning (or its half of an extra inning after a tie), the game ends immediately when the winning run is scored. EXCEPTION: If the last batter in a game hits a home run out of the playing field, the batter-runner and all runners on base are permitted to score, in accordance with the base-running rules, and the game ends when the batter-runner touches home plate.
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The game-ending GRD landed "in play" in fair territory, so only the number of bases required to score the winning run are accredited to the hit, in this case a single.
2007-05-25 20:25:49 · answer #1 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When the scenario comes about as it did tonight, any walk-off hit other then a home run is considered a single if the winning run is in scoring position. If the batter isn't watching the runner in front and keeps going on to 2nd, it is still a single because the winning run would have scored before he made it to second, and the game ends right then, even if his momentum is still taking him to the next base.
In a different scenario where the ball stays in play, and the runner is one first when it is hit, then whatever base the batter gets to by the time the run scores is what it is scored as. So if a batter drills a ball and is relatively close behind the front baserunner, and he gets a triple before the runner in front scores, it's a triple.
2007-05-25 20:17:28 · answer #2 · answered by themainevent0415 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because the winning run will score, it is ruled that the defense would make no effort to stop the ball bouncing up and out, so it is ruled a single with the score at 6-5
2007-05-25 20:18:37 · answer #3 · answered by Arun K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the rules the batter is only credited with the number of bases need to allow the winning run to score in the bottom of the last inning. In your scenario it is either a home run 7-3 final or a single 4-3 final. The "ground rules" cannot override a book rule. PS -- a fair batted ball that bounces over a fence in fair or foul territory is a book rule double, not ground rule double. It is a two base award stated in the rules book.
2016-05-18 00:50:36 · answer #4 · answered by samira 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Doesn't the game end as soon as the winning run crosses the plate?
2007-05-25 19:43:25 · answer #5 · answered by vinny_the_hack 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question.I am wondering did the guy at second touch
homeplate,or was he busy celebrating.Then again,those fat-***
umpires were ready to eat.Then again,if you have watched enough sports.I am sure you have seen shitty stats people.
Stan
cowboyfromnc
2007-05-25 19:28:48 · answer #6 · answered by Stan W 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋