# How Can You Get Four Outs in Baseball (in half an inning) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969 "2005-11-07T22:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/1 "2005-11-07T22:19:44Z")
I did a search here, but came up with nothing. The story is, I read once, that while 3 outs normally retires the side, there were circumstances where 4 outs could actually be scored. I can not for the life of me remember the details of how that could happen. Any baseball gurus out there who can enlighten me, or am I just “misremembering” what I read? ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/2 "2005-11-07T22:23:44Z")
When a batter strikes out and the ball is not caught by the catcher, the batter can run to first base will need to be put out by the defence (tagged out or ball thrown to first). If the runner makes it to first, he remains there and a strikeout is credited to the pitcher, but the defense still needs three other outs to complete the half inning. What you might also be thinking of is a pitcher getting 4 strikeouts in a half-inning. It’s been done many times! ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/3 "2005-11-07T22:25:26Z")
Sorry for the poor sentence structure and spelling. I’m calling it a day. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/4 "2005-11-07T22:35:15Z")
Runners at 3rd and 1st with 1 out. Batter hits fly ball and both runners take off. Ball is caught (out #2). Runner on 3rd crosses home plate. Ball is thrown to 1st to double off that runner (out #3). [If, at this point, the defence leaves the field, the run will count.] Ball is thrown to pitcher on mound, an appeal play is made to 3rd base (out #4). Run does not count. (Very theoretically, with bases loaded and no outs, you could have a 5 out inning.) This “4th out” situation occured about 10+ years ago once. But the defence left the field. The home plate umpire _after the game_ went to both locker rooms to inform the managers of the actual score of the game. (The scoreboard had not recorded the run.) Why this wasn’t fixed by the start of the next inning is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/5 "2005-11-07T22:36:29Z")
You can get this with an appeal play. Suppose a runner is on second base with two outs. The batter hits a long double; the guy on second scores. The batter tries to take third base, but is tagged there for the third out. Very straightforward. Now, suppose the team in the field makes an appeal throw to third base - they’re claiming the guy on second failed to touch third base on his way home. The umpire saw this failure, and so signals that the baserunner is out, and the apparent run he scored doesn’t count. Thus you have a half-inning with four outs. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/6 "2005-11-07T22:37:31Z")
Oops: Very theoretically … bases loaded and 1 out. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/7 "2005-11-07T22:40:52Z")
Rats - thrown out by ftg while sliding home. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/8 "2005-11-07T22:51:54Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > (Very theoretically… you could have a 5 out inning.) How about 6? Two outs, bases loaded. Batter hits a long double - all guys on base appear to score. Batter is eventually caught in a rundown and finally tagged out trying to get back to second base. Three outs. But it then turns out that the guy on third failed to touch home plate, and both the other baserunners missed third base. Sufficient appeal throws are made. Do we not end up with 6 outs? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/9 "2005-11-07T23:00:01Z")
Just four outs. Once the appeal play is made on the runner on the plate the inning is over and no runs score. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/10 "2005-11-07T23:06:48Z")
Here I was looking for what I thought was one unique situation, and you all come up with all these scenarios. All I can do is quote Ray Romano’s father and say “Holy Crap”…you are all GOOD. Thanks and please keep 'em coming if there are other situations. Didn’t want to shut down this thread, just wanted to acknowledge one & all. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/11 "2005-11-07T23:39:40Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Once the appeal play is made on the runner on the plate the inning is over and no runs score. Makes sense. But suppose the appeal at third is done before the one at home plate? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-get-four-outs-in-baseball-in-half-an-inning/329969/12 "2005-11-08T00:10:40Z")
Here’s the end of Rule 7.11 which will no doubt “clarify” the matter: > [@](#): > > Any appeal under this rule must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the violation occurs during a play which ends a half inning, the appeal must be made before the defensive team leaves the field. An appeal is not to be interpreted as a play or an attempted play. Successive appeals may not be made on a runner at the same base. If the defensive team on its first appeal errs, a request for a second appeal on the same runner at the same base shall not be allowed by the umpire. (Intended meaning of the word “err” is that the defensive team in making an appeal threw the ball out of play. For example, if the pitcher threw to first base to appeal and threw the ball into the stands, no second appeal would be allowed.) Appeal plays may require an umpire to recognize an apparent “fourth out.” If the third out is made during a play in which an appeal play is sustained on another runner, the appeal play decision takes precedence in determining the out. If there is more than one appeal during a play that ends a half inning, the defense may elect to take the out that gives it the advantage. For the purpose of this rule, the defensive team has “left the field” when the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory on their way to the bench or clubhouse. If two runners arrive at home base about the same time and the first runner misses home plate but a second runner legally touches the plate, the runner is tagged out on his attempt to come back and touch the base or is called out, on appeal, then he shall be considered as having been put out before the second runner scored and being the third out. Second runner’s run shall not count, as provided in Rule 7.12. If a pitcher balks when making an appeal, such act shall be a play. An appeal should be clearly intended as an appeal, either by a verbal request by the player or an act that unmistakably indicates an appeal to the umpire. A player, inadvertently stepping on the base with a ball in his hand, would not constitute an appeal. Time is not out when an appeal is being made