Rule 4.11

Rule 4.11

The score of a regulation game is the total number of runs scored by each team at the moment the game ends.

(a) The game ends when the visiting team completes its half of the ninth inning if the home team is ahead.

(b) The game ends when the ninth inning is completed, if the visiting team is ahead.

(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.

APPROVED RULING: The batter hits a home run out of the playing field to win the game in the last half of the ninth or an extra inning, but is called out for passing a preceding runner. The game ends immediately when the winning run is scored, unless there are two out and the winning run has not yet reached home plate when the runner passes another, in which case the inning is over and only those runs that scored before the runner passes another shall count. 

(d) A called game ends at the moment the umpire terminates play, unless it becomes a suspended game pursuant to Rule 4.12(a).

DISCUSSION:

Rule 4.11(c): With the game tied in the bottom of the eleventh and the bases loaded, Torii Hunter hits a ball that bounces into the left field seats. Instead of a ground rule double, this is a single and one run scores. The reason is 4.11(c) which states that the game is immediately over when the winning run scores, except in the case of a game ending home run.


Rule 4.11 AR: On April 26, 1931, the Yankees' Lyn Lary was on first with two out in the first inning. Lou Gehrig hit a home run into the centerfield bleachers at Griffith Stadium. However, the ball caromed back to the centerfielder. Lary returned to the dugout, evidently thinking the ball was caught. Gehrig was declared out for passing the runner for the third out and lost the homer. Gehrig ended the year tied for the lead in homers with Babe Ruth.

On May 26, 1959, Pittsburgh Pirates' pitcher Harvey Haddix pitched one of the greatest games ever against the Milwaukee Braves. Haddix was perfect for twelve innings, but his team failed to score. In the bottom of the 13th inning, Don Hoak made a fielding error which cost Haddix a perfect game. The Braves advanced the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. The Braves' slugger Hank Aaron was intentionally walked. Then, with one out in the thirteenth inning of a scoreless game, Joe Adcock hit the ball over the fence for an apparent home run. Aaron saw the winning run score, then trotted off the field. Consequently, Adcock was out for "passing" Aaron between second and third (for the second out) and was credited with a double. Aaron never scored (and was ostensibly out for abandonment) and the game ended 1-0. 

Hypothetically, had Adcock passed Aaron on the base path before Aaron was called out for abandonment (second out), and Aaron abandoned his attempt at running the bases before the runner had scored (third out), the run would not have counted pursuant to Rule 4.11. Aaron's out is a time play situation.