The ultra-rare “4th out rule” happened today in the Washington-Pittsburgh game.
Brief synopsis, runners on 2nd and 3rd for Pittsburgh, 1 out. Hitter lines out to Josh Bell, both runners had gone on contact. Bell throws to third, and the 3b tags the runner who had run from second out for a double play, then also touches third, but the runner from 3rd had scored already.
So…because he tagged the runner from 2nd for the third out, and THEN touched third without appealing that the runner left early(because there was 3 outs already, they didn’t think to do it) before they left the field, the run counts. Had they appealed to the ump the runner from third left early and tagged 3b first, and then tagged the runner from second, the run wouldn’t have scored.
Had they appealed to the ump immediately after tagging the runner and touching 3b, run wouldn’t have scored.
f*** I love baseball.