Scorer's Zone
The complete Rule 9 and the most searched plays.
The official scorer is appointed by the league and makes every call that is a matter of scoring judgment: whether a play was a hit or an error, or whether it was a passed ball or a wild pitch. The scorer cannot contradict the umpires, who rule on what happens on the field. There is a limited time after the game to review any decision.
Sets out what the scorer must record for each player: at-bats, runs, hits, runs batted in, walks, strikeouts, putouts, assists and errors, and for pitchers, innings pitched, hits, runs and earned runs. It also explains when a plate appearance does not count as an at-bat: a sacrifice, a walk, a hit by pitch, and interference or obstruction.
Explains how to score cases that fall outside the usual: a batter who bats out of turn, substitutes, suspended games and forfeited games. It includes the box score proof: a check that confirms the game's scoring adds up.
The batter is credited with a run batted in when a run scores because of the batter's hit, sacrifice, infield out or fielder's choice, or on a walk or hit by pitch with the bases loaded. No RBI is credited when the batter grounds into a double play or, in the scorer's judgment, when the run scores because of an error.
It's a hit when the batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball, without the help of an error or a fielder's choice. It's not a hit if a runner is forced out on the play, or if the fielder could have made the out with ordinary effort.
Decides whether the hit is a single, double, triple or home run based on the bases the batter reaches on the hit alone, without errors or plays on other runners. Special case: on a game-ending hit, only the bases needed for the winning run to score are counted, except for a home run hit out of the park.
A stolen base is credited when a runner advances without the help of a hit, an out, an error, a fielder's choice, a wild pitch, a passed ball or a balk. If the defense makes no attempt to stop the runner, it is scored as defensive indifference, not a stolen base.
Two cases: the sacrifice bunt, which advances runners with fewer than two outs, and the sacrifice fly, which lets a runner score from third with fewer than two outs. Neither one counts as an at-bat.
The putout is credited to the fielder who catches the batted ball, tags the runner or touches the base on a force play. On a strikeout, the putout goes to the catcher. Some automatic putouts also go to the catcher, such as the one for a batter who bats out of turn.
An assist is credited to each fielder who throws or deflects the ball on a play that results in an out, or that would have resulted in an out if not for a later error.
Each fielder who takes part in a double or triple play is credited with participating in it, as long as there is no error between the outs.
It's an error when a fielder fails to make a play that should have been made with ordinary effort, and that prolongs the batter's time at bat, keeps a runner alive or lets a runner advance. Mental mistakes and misjudgments are not scored as errors. A wild throw that lets a runner advance also counts.
A wild pitch is a pitch so far off target that the catcher can't control it with ordinary effort, and a runner advances: it's the pitcher's fault. A passed ball is a pitch the catcher should have handled and didn't: it's the catcher's fault.
A base on balls is awarded when the batter receives four balls. It includes the intentional walk, which today can be granted without throwing a pitch, at the manager's signal.
A strikeout is scored when the batter gets three strikes, including a bunt foul with two strikes. If the third strike isn't caught and the batter reaches first, the pitcher is still credited with the strikeout.
A run is earned when the pitcher is responsible for it. To decide, the scorer reconstructs the inning as if there had been no errors or passed balls. When a reliever comes in, the runners left on base by the previous pitcher remain that pitcher's responsibility.
The starting pitcher gets the win if he pitched at least five complete innings and his team took a lead it never gave up. If he doesn't qualify, the scorer picks the reliever who most deserved it. The loss goes to the pitcher responsible for the run that gave the opponent the lead for good.
A shutout is credited to the pitcher who allows no runs in the entire game, or to a reliever who comes in with no outs, before any run has scored, and finishes the game without allowing a run.
A save is credited to the pitcher who finishes a game his team won without being the winning pitcher, pitches at least one-third of an inning and meets one condition: he enters with a lead of three runs or fewer and pitches a full inning; or he enters with the tying run on base, at bat or on deck; or he pitches at least three innings.
The league statistician keeps the official records of every player based on the scorer's reports. They are the basis for the season's cumulative statistics.
Sets out the official formulas:
Sets the minimum a player must play to qualify for a title. For the batting title, 3.1 plate appearances for each game the team plays. For the ERA title, one inning pitched for each game the team plays.
Explains when a hitting streak continues or ends. A consecutive-game hitting streak isn't broken if, in that game, the batter only drew walks, was hit by pitches, reached on interference or laid down a sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice fly with no hit does end it.
With fewer than two outs and runners on first and second, or with the bases loaded, a fair fly ball that an infielder can catch with ordinary effort is declared an infield fly. The batter is out even if the ball drops, and runners may advance at their own risk. It exists to keep the defense from dropping the ball on purpose to turn a double play.
An illegal motion by the pitcher with runners on base, such as faking a pitch without delivering it or not coming to a stop in the set position. All runners advance one base.
Happens when a batter, runner, coach or spectator hinders a defensive play. Depending on who commits it, the penalty is an out or the play is nullified.
When a fielder who doesn't have the ball, and isn't making a play, impedes a runner. The umpire awards the runner the bases they would have reached.
If the catcher doesn't cleanly catch the third strike, the batter may run to first when first base is unoccupied or when there are two outs.
When a fair ball bounces out of the playing field, the batter and the runners advance two bases.
The batter is awarded first base when hit by a pitch he didn't swing at, unless he made no attempt to avoid it or the pitch was a strike.
The defense claims that a runner missed a base or left too early on a caught fly ball. The umpire only rules on it if the defense appeals.
If a batter bats out of turn and the defense appeals before the next pitch, the batter who should have batted is called out. This connects to Rule 9.03, which explains how to score it.
Summaries and examples written by Gil Reyes Scoring Academy. For the official text, see the rulebooks linked in each rule.
