[greymule]

Rich Coyle's post states what I always believed, but both the PBUC and the OBR suggest that we're incorrect. Maybe there's some sort of exception when the game-winning run is involved.

The PBUC specifies "before the runner from third reaches home plate," which clearly implies that a runner out for abandoning effort, even to a forced base, AFTER the runner crosses home would not disallow the run.

OBR 4.09 (b) says, "When the winning run is scored in the last half-inning of a regulation game, or in the last half of an extra inning, as the result of a base on balls, hit batter or any other play with the bases full which forces the runner on third to advance, the umpire shall not declare the game ended until the runner forced to advance from third has touched home base and the batter-runner has reached first base." It doesn't say "until all runners have reached the next base" or "the base to which they were forced."

I would think a ball hit over the fence is a play "which forces the runner on third to advance." Apparently, when the winning run is involved, only the batter and the runner from third have to proceed to the next base, and all the other two runners have to do is avoid being called out before the run scores. What if the runner from third scored, but the runner from first was called out for abandoning effort before the batter reached first base?

I think these particular variations are not too far-fetched.