Rule 4.09

Rule 4.09

HOW A TEAM SCORES.

(a) One run shall be scored each time a runner legally advances to and touches first, second, third and home base before three men are put out to end the inning.
EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made (1) by the batter-runner before he touches first base; (2) by any runner being forced out; or (3) by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases.

(b) When the winning run is scored in the last half-inning of a regulation game, or in the last half of an extra inning, as the result of a base on balls, hit batter or any other play with the bases full which forces the runner on third to advance, the umpire shall not declare the game ended until the runner forced to advance from third has touched home base and the batter-runner has touched first base.

Rule 4.09(b) Comment: An exception will be if fans rush onto the field and physically prevent the runner from touching home plate or the batter from touching first base. In such cases, the umpires shall award the runner the base because of the obstruction by the fans. 

PENALTY: If the runner on third refuses to advance to and touch home base in a reasonable time, the umpire shall disallow the run, call out the offending player and order the game resumed. If, with two out, the batter-runner refuses to advance to and touch first base, the umpire shall disallow the run, call out the offending player, and order the game resumed. If, before two are out, the batter-runner refuses to advance to and touch first base, the run shall count, but the offending player shall be called out.

Rule 4.09 Comment: APPROVED RULING: No run shall score during a play in which the third out is made by the batter-runner before he touches first base. 
Example: One out, Jones on second, Smith on first. The batter, Brown, hits safely. Jones scores. Smith is out on the throw to the plate. Two outs. But Brown missed first base. The ball is thrown to first, an appeal is made, and Brown is out. Three outs. Since Jones crossed the plate during a play in which the third out was made by the batterrunner before he touched first base, Jones’ run does not count.

APPROVED RULING: Following runners are not affected by an act of a preceding runner unless two are out. 
Example: One out, Jones on second, Smith on first, and batter, Brown, hits home run inside the park. Jones fails to touch third on his way to the plate. Smith and Brown score. The defense holds the ball on third, appeals to umpire, and Jones is out. Smith’s and Brown’s runs count.

APPROVED RULING: Two out, Jones on second, Smith on first and batter, Brown, hits home run inside the park. All three runs cross the plate. But Jones missed third base, and on appeal is declared out. Three outs. Smith’s and Brown’s runs are voided. No score on the play.

APPROVED RULING: One out, Jones on third, Smith on second. Batter Brown flies out to center. Two out. Jones scores after catch and Smith scores on bad throw to plate. But Jones, on appeal, is adjudged to have left third before the catch and is out. Three outs. No runs.

APPROVED RULING: Two out, bases full, batter hits home run over fence. Batter, on
appeal, is declared out for missing first base. Three outs. No run counts.
Here is a general statement that covers:
When a runner misses a base and a fielder holds the ball on a missed base, or on the base originally occupied by the runner if a fly ball is caught, and appeals for the umpire’s decision, the runner is out when the umpire sustains the appeal; all runners may score if possible, except that with two out the runner is out at the moment he misses the bag, if an appeal is sustained as applied to the following runners.

APPROVED RULING: One out, Jones on third, Smith on first, and Brown flies out to right field. Two outs. Jones tags up and scores after the catch. Smith attempted to return to first but the right fielder’s throw beat him to the base. Three outs. But Jones scored before the throw to catch Smith reached first base, hence Jones’ run counts. It was not a force play.

DISCUSSION:
Rule 4.09(a): A run does not score if the third out is made before the runner touches or passes home plate. This is known as a "time play."
R2,R1. Batter hits ball down left field line. F7 throws R1 out at 3B for the third out before R2 touches or passes home base. Run does not count (notice HP umpire lining up play)
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w=/library/open/ymtc/2007_umpires_ymtc_1_350.wmv&pid=gen_video&cid=mlb&v=2

R2,R1. Batter singles. F7 throws R1 out at 3B for the third out before R2 touches or passes home base. Run does not count


R2,R1. Batter singles. F7 throws behind R1 for the out at 2B before R2 touches or passes home base. Run does not count


R3,R2. Ground ball to F5 who tags R2 (not a force play) before R3 touches or passes home base. Run does not count


R2. Batter lines into gap. B/R is thrown out at 2B before R2 touches or passes home base. Run does not count


R3, R1. R1 is stealing and batter hits a fly ball to F8. R1 touches/passes 2B, but does not retouch 2B on his way back to 1B. This is a time play and R3 scores. R1’s third out on the appeal play, which occurred after R3 crossed the plate, was not the result of a force out or the batter-runner making the third out before reaching first base.


R3, R1. R1 is stealing and batter hits a fly ball to F8. R1 touches/passes 2B, but does not retouch 2B on his way back to 1B. This is a time play and R3 scores. R1’s third out on the appeal play, which occurred after R3 crossed the plate, was not the result of a force out or the batter-runner making the third out before reaching first base.


R3,R2. Batter hits fly ball to F8 who throws behind R2 at 2B for appeal failing to tag up. R2 is out before R3 scores, so no run counts. This is not a force play, it is a time play.


Rule 4.09(a)(1): A run is not scored if the third out is made by batter-runner before touching first base, OR the batter runner is out on an appeal for missing first base, OR the batter-runner's batted ball is caught for the third out. Any run scored during such play does not count.

In the following video the third out is made on the batter-runner before he touches first base. No run scores.


R3, batter strikes out, but pitch gets by catcher. R3 crosses plate ahead of batter-runner thrown out at first. This is not a time play. The run does not count because the batter-runner made the third out before reaching first base.

With bases loaded, center fielder makes catch for third out and runners do not score.

Rule 4.09(a)(2): A run is not scored if the third out is made by a runner who is forced out.
August 22, 1998. Blue Jays at Angels. Bases loaded with one out in the second inning. Line drive to F9 who traps ball, umpire signals no catch. R1 proceeds to 2B where he finds R2 frozen and undecided. R1 decides to retreat to 1B. F9 throws to F5 for the force out of R2 (second out), and F5 throws to F4 to force out R1 (third out). No run scores.

On August 30, 2007, the Reds had the bases loaded against the Pirates in the fourth inning. Edwin Encarnacion singled and two runs scored. Unfortunately, Adam Dunn, who was on second, did not touch third. The Pirates successfully appealed and no runs scored. The out at third was a force out.

“Merkle’s Boner”




Rule 4.09(a)(3): Subsequent runs are not scored if the third out is made by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases.

Rule 4.09(b): on a base award that ends the game, only the batter-runner must touch 1B and R3 must touch home.
 

Rule 4.09(b) CMT: If fans rush the field and prevent the runner from touching home or the batter from touching first, the umpires shall award the base because of spectator interference.
During the 1976 ALCS, Chris Chambliss hit a walk-off home run to put the Yankees into the World Series. Because he was mobbed by fans and could not reach home plate, the umpires scored his run.


Rule 4.09(b) CMT only applies to spectator interference.
In the 1999 NLCS, Robin Ventura his a walk-off grand slam home run, only his teammates prevented him from circling the bases. He was credited with a single.

Rule 4.09(b) CMT Approved Ruling: No run scores when the last out is made at first base on an appeal for missing the base.