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Does the run count in the following situation?

The bases are loaded with no outs. The batter hits a line drive to the pitcher. The runner on third base tags up by touching third base, runs home and touches home plate. The runner on second does not tag up, the pitcher throws the ball to second base to get the out. The runner on first base also does not tag up, and they throw the ball to first base to get him out. The outs were made after the runner on third touched home plate.

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    Possible duplicate of Does a run scored on a tag out on a forced runner?
    – Philip Kendall ♦
    Apr 22, 2016 at 7:34
  • It's not a duplicate. The question you are referring to has nothing to do with the ball being caught. That play is tagging the runner, I'm referring to 'tagging up'. Touching the bag after the batted ball was caught before touching the ground.
    – KKendall
    Apr 22, 2016 at 14:22

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First off, the situation you described makes those runners seem like very poor base-runners. A runner should never tag up from 3rd on a line-drive back to the pitcher (let alone any line-drive hit within the infield) ESPECIALLY with 0 outs. The correct action to take is for the baserunners to freeze until they see the whole play.. if the ball is caught go back to the bag, if the ball is dropped then either run or stay.

Actually, I am editing my initial answer... I didn't read the whole scenario (the last sentence).. if the runner who touched home beat out the pitcher turning a triple play.. then this rule is not applied and the run should count.

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.

(1) the batter-runner never got a chance to touch first and was indeed out before the runner who was on 3rd touched home, but the batter-runner wasn't the 3rd out..

(2) none of those runner's were forced to go the next base once the ball was caught by the pitcher

(3) I am assuming that all runners touched all of the bases (well at least the bases that they got to, and the preceding ones)

So I would say that run did count.

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  • Yes, it was horrible base running. I'm guessing the runners thought the ball hit the ground though.
    – KKendall
    Apr 22, 2016 at 14:25
  • @KKendall Let's just say if I was the coach, they would have permanent pinch-runners if this scenario were to be true and the pitcher turned a TRIPLE PLAY
    – Grizzly
    Apr 22, 2016 at 14:27
  • Doesn't "preceding runner" refer to a runner in front of the runner in question? I think (3) applies in the following situation: with runners on first and second and 2 outs, the batter gets a hit (let's say a double). The base runners both score, but on appeal the lead runner (who started at 2nd base) failed to touch 3rd base; the runner starting at 1st touched all the bases. On appeal at 3rd, the lead runner is declared out; as that is the third out, no runs score. (I'm not sure what happens if the trailing runner misses 3rd; I think the lead runner's run still counts.)
    – chepner
    Apr 22, 2016 at 18:05
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    Ok, brings me another question... Runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Line drive to the outfield. Runners both score, but batter then is tagged in a rundown. Then they notice the runner from 2nd didn't touch 3rd and appeal. The appealed out came third... but didn't it truly come second, since he missed the bag before the tag out? So the run scores? And if the fielding team reverses the order, making the appeal, then tagging the runner? (Oddly Wikipedia seems to suggest you can't make a play on another runner during appeal, or you lose it, even though play has to still be live????)
    – JeopardyTempest
    Apr 23, 2016 at 5:33
  • Likewise, it's odd to think of the more straightforward but very rare strategy moment where runners on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out... runners take off early, but the runner from 2nd trips as the ball is grounded into the infield. You've gotta tag the runner from 2nd first before forcing the guy from 1st. Straightforward, even usually in the situation where you may not get the guy at 1st in time by waiting. But can't say I'd think to do it in that order!
    – JeopardyTempest
    Apr 23, 2016 at 5:36
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The run scores.

Batter runner is out on the catch MLB 5.09a1. The other runners are no longer forced but are out because they failed to tag up and appeal plays are made MLB 5.09b5. The lead runner scores according to 5.08a since he crossed the plate after he tagged up and the other two outs do not meet the exception of MLB 5.08a. Since the last two outs are not forced they are commonly referred to as timed plays. That is, what happened before them counts.

MLB refers to the Major League Baseball Official Rules 2016

Yes, the runners who were on first and second made base running errors. The pitcher should also have been able to throw home to get the lead runner, so a mental error. Sounds like a Little League game to me.

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The runners who failed to tag are force outs because they must return to their base to tag up before advancing. So all three outs are force outs and the runner on third does not score, regardless of when in the timeline he crosses home plate.

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    Welcome to Sports SE, please add references to your answer before you attract downvote.
    – Ram Chandra Giri
    Sep 10, 2017 at 19:55

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