Run ahead rule

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Griddog

Has this rule changed? Was it EVER ruled; ANYTIME the run ahead (mercy rule) number is reached, top OR bottom of inning, AFTER Home team has minimum 5 at bats the game is over? That has always been MY iterpretation the of the rule.
So, as I am taught recently, if the visitors are up 14-0 going to the top 7th and the number is 15, they could score 30 more and the home team STILL gets their last at bats? That means the mercy rule is only in effect for two innings, 5th and 6th?
Just an old dog TRYING to learn new tricks.

Honestly, (assuming I'm reading your post right), the way you describe your understanding in the first paragraph cannot possibly be right (unless you're playing in a tourney with a sudden death kind of rule... which I've never worked and only heard of here)

Example: Say your run rules are 12, 10, 8 after 3, 4, 5. 5th inning, tie score. Visitors put up 8. Game over? I sure hope not! But based on your interp from the first paragraph it would be.

Example 2: Same run rules. 4th inning, 2 outs, home up by 9. No run rule as they aren't up by 10 and it's the 4th. We get the third out. Now it's the top of the 5th ... Poof - instant sudden death as we're up by 9 and it's the 5th inning now. Again... I sure hope not.

All "Real rule" run-rules include with them the assumption that the losing team has had as many innings to score as the leading team.