Score on E4 is an earned run?

[iscore@tragus.org]

At the bottom of the 2nd inning, the starting pitcher has two earned runs against him. The first run scored on an error by the 2nd baseman though so why is it earned?

Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO HR
Pitcher 1 1.1 2 3 2 1 2 0

Highlights:

1st Inning
Player 1 out on a 1-3
Player 2 out on strikes
Player 3 reaches base on a HBP and scores on an E4 -- Scored as an earned run
Player 4 reaches base on a BB and scores on a single by Player 5 -- Scored as an earned run
Player 5 reaches base on a single, scores Player 4. Put out stealing 3rd.

2nd Inning
Player 6 reaches base on an E3 and scores on a double by Player 8 -- Scored as an unearned run
Player 7 out on Kd
Player 8 gets a double, scores Player 6. Put out stealing home.
New pitcher
Player 9 strikes out looking

Play by Play:

Bottom of the 1st

Player 1
Ball, Ball, Foul, Strike (swinging), Ball, Ground out
0 0

Player 2
Strike (looking), Strike (swinging), Strikeout Looking
0 0

Player 3
Foul, Strike (swinging), Hit by Pitch
0 0

Player 4
Pickoff Attempt, Strike (swinging), Ball, [Player 3 steals Second], Pickoff Attempt, Strike (swinging), Ball, Ball, Ball, Walk
0 0

Player 5
[Player 3 advances to Third on Wild Pitch], Pickoff Attempt, [Player 3 Scores on error by Second Baseman Player A], Ball, [Player 4 steals Third], Single, [Player 4 Scores]
0 2

Player 6
Strike (swinging), [Player 5 steals Second], Foul, [Player 5 Caught Stealing]
0 2

(Different question here... why did Player 6 bat here when he opens the 2nd inning? I had to edit the starting lineup after batter 9 to remove batter 10. Could that have messed up the lineup? The official paper scorebook does not show Player 6 in inning 1.)

Bottom of the 2nd

Player 6
Bunch of substitutions
Ball, Foul, Reach on Error
0 2

Player 7
Ball, [Player 6 steals Second], Strike (looking), [Player 6 advances to Third on Pass Ball], Strike (looking), Ball, Ball, Dropped 3rd Strike - Thrown Out
0 2

Player 8
Double, [Player 6 Scores]
0 3

Player 9
NEW PITCHER, other substitutions
Ball, [Player 8 advances to Third on Wild Pitch], Strike (looking), Ball, Strike (swinging), Ball, Strikeout Looking
0 3

(Unknown)
Ball, [Player 8 Caught Stealing]
0 3

[FTMSupport]

How did the 2nd baseman make an error? You have HBP, then a walk, then a single. Every subsequent batter made it to base safely. If it is determined that a runner would have scored regardless of advancing bases by error, then the run is still earned. There are more official sources, but the last bullet point here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_run" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"While the inning is still being played, this last scenario can cause a temporary situation where a run has already scored, but its earned/unearned status is not yet certain. For example, with two outs, a runner on third base scores on a passed ball. For the time being, the run is unearned since the runner should still be at third. If the batter strikes out to end the inning, it will stay that way. If the batter gets a base hit, which would have scored the runner anyway, the run now becomes earned."

Same situation applies here. From what you describe, sounds like the E4 was the runner stealing second, and an error was made trying to get him (you didn't say this, but not sure how else an E4 could have come into play). If the runner had just stayed on first, the next walk would have put him on second, and the single would have driven him in.


For the second question, player 6 was at bat when a runner was caught stealing, so he gets to return to the plate the following inning. He never made an out as a batter.

[iscore@tragus.org]

How did the 2nd baseman make an error?

I honestly don't remember and I don't have the detail in iScore. We had Player 4 on 1st (BB) and Player 3 on 3rd. Either the 2nd baseman dropped the throw trying to stop Player 4 from stealing 2nd *or* overthrew trying to stop Player 3's steal at home.

You have HBP, then a walk, then a single. Every subsequent batter made it to base safely. If it is determined that a runner would have scored regardless of advancing bases by error, then the run is still earned. There are more official sources, but the last bullet point here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_run" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"While the inning is still being played, this last scenario can cause a temporary situation where a run has already scored, but its earned/unearned status is not yet certain. For example, with two outs, a runner on third base scores on a passed ball. For the time being, the run is unearned since the runner should still be at third. If the batter strikes out to end the inning, it will stay that way. If the batter gets a base hit, which would have scored the runner anyway, the run now becomes earned."

OK, that makes sense. Their example uses passed ball but, really, it is any defensive error. I created a test game to replay the scenario and checked the stats between each run. It shows Player 3's run as unearned until *after* Player 4 scores on Player 5's single. That's exactly the uncertain status described there.

Same situation applies here. From what you describe, sounds like the E4 was the runner stealing second, and an error was made trying to get him (you didn't say this, but not sure how else an E4 could have come into play). If the runner had just stayed on first, the next walk would have put him on second, and the single would have driven him in.

Player 3 was at second by the time Player 4 was walked and subsequently stole third before Player 5's single. But... your point is valid. If nobody stole anything we would have had Player 3 on second and Player 4 on first at the time of the single by Player 5. The single, if not an out, would have either put it at bases loaded or, most likely, scored Player 3 in place of Player 4.

I'm glad you guys are doing the hard work. As long as I can manage to get the data into the phone correctly I can count on you to get the numbers!

For the second question, player 6 was at bat when a runner was caught stealing, so he gets to return to the plate the following inning. He never made an out as a batter.

Ah. Right. I wasn't expecting to see him beside himself on the scorecard & didn't think it through.

[brentwalker]

From what I can tell from the recount, all players on base were the responsibility of the pitcher. Player 3 got to 3rd by a HBP, and two stolen bases. Then player 5 hit a single thus allowing player 3 to score, Earned Run. It doesn't really matter if the second baseman had an error on the throw or bobbled the ball. The fact is you show player 5 as having a single allowing the runner on third to score.

Second question, batter six did not complete his at bat and therefore completes his at bat with a fresh count at the start of his teams next at bat. In the scorebook, you usually draw the line under batter six in the column and then starts the inning again in the next column at this same batter.