A tie-breaking home run remains one of the most exciting plays in baseball. The end result of a tie-breaking home run, however, depends on which team hits the home run and the scenario in the game. Tie-breaking home runs in the ninth or extra innings can sometimes end a game, but scenarios do exist where the game continues afterward.
Ending a Game
If a member of the home team hits a tie-breaking home run in the bottom of the ninth inning or in extra innings, the game ends immediately with the home team winning. If a member of the visiting team hits a tie-breaking home run in the top of the inning, the home team still has a chance to bat. The inning continues for the visiting team, however, as it has the chance to score as many runs as possible before the home team bats.
Touching the Bases
The batter must touch all of the bases for the home run to count. If the player fails to touch all of the bases, he does not receive credit for the home run. In some circumstances, missing a base can prevent a team from scoring other runs, as the umpire will call a player out if he misses a base and then touches another.
Number of Runs Scored
On a game-winning base hit, only the tie-breaking run counts toward the score in the bottom of the ninth or in the bottom of an extra inning. If a player hits a home run, however, every player who crosses the plate counts for a run. Therefore, without a home run, a home team can win a game only by one run in extra innings. With a home run, the home team can win an extra-inning game by as many as four runs.
Grand Slam Single
During the 1999 Major League Baseball playoffs, Robin Ventura of the New York Mets hit a game-winning home run with the bases loaded in the 15th inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves. On the play, teammate Roger Cedeno scored from third base, but Ventura's teammates grabbed him in celebration before he could round the bases. Despite the fact that Ventura hit a grand slam, only the first run counted because Ventura failed to touch home plate. In the end, the scorekeeper awarded Ventura a single on the play and only one of the runs counted. Luckily for the Mets, they needed only one run to win the game.
Posted in: Baseball