Run (baseball)

In baseball, a run is scored when a player runs around all the bases—first, second, and third—and safely touches home plate before three outs are recorded. This can happen when a player hits a home run or when a runner reaches base safely and later comes home to score. Once a player has scored, they cannot score again until their next turn to bat. The goal of the game is for a team to score more runs than the other team.

The rules about counting runs can be tricky. If the third out of an inning is a force out, any run that scores before that out does not count. But if the third out is a tag out, the run will count if it scores before the tag. In baseball statistics, a player who scores a run is credited with a run (R), also called a "run scored." While this is an important statistic, it is often considered less important than runs batted in (RBIs).

Pitchers are also judged by the runs they allow. These are split into earned runs, for which the pitcher is fully responsible, and unearned runs, which happen because of fielding errors. If an error lets a runner on base and that runner later scores, the runs may be counted as unearned. This helps give a fairer picture of a pitcher's performance.

Examples

Here are two examples to help understand when a run counts in baseball.

• Imagine a game where a player is on third base and there are two outs. The batter hits the ball to the second baseman. The player on third runs home, but the second baseman throws to first base just in time to get the batter out, making the third out of the inning. Even if the player on third touched home plate before the third out, the run would not count.

• Now, think of another situation where a player is on third base with two outs. The batter hits a fly ball that goes over the centerfielder's head and rolls to the wall. The player on third runs home and scores a run. The batter gets to first base and tries to go to second, but the centerfielder throws the ball, and the player is tagged out at second. Because the player on third touched home plate before the third out was recorded, his run counts.

Significant run scoring records

Player

Rickey Henderson scored the most runs in Major League Baseball history with 2,295 runs. Billy Hamilton set the single-season record in 1894 with 198 runs for the Philadelphia Phillies. Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees scored 177 runs in 1921, the best in the modern era. Babe Ruth also had 8 seasons where he scored the most runs.

Red Rolfe and Kenny Lofton share the record for the most consecutive games with at least one run scored, with 18 games each. Guy Hecker holds the single-game record with 7 runs in 1886. Mel Ott and Shawn Green are among the players who have scored 6 runs in a game.

Team

The Boston Beaneaters, now the Atlanta Braves, scored the most runs in a season with 1,212 in 1894. The New York Yankees hold the modern record with 1,067 runs in 1931. The Chicago Cubs have scored the most runs in team history with 100,875 runs up to 2022.

The Chicago Colts, now the Chicago Cubs, set the record for most runs in a single game with 36 in 1897. The Texas Rangers scored 30 runs in a game in 2007, the modern-day record. The Atlanta Braves scored 29 runs in a game in 2020. The highest combined score in a game was 49 runs when the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 26–23 in 1922.

The Boston Red Sox hold the modern record for most runs in an inning with 17 in 1953.

Postseason

The Los Angeles Dodgers scored 11 runs in one inning during Game 3 of the 2020 NLCS, the most in a single postseason inning.

World Series

Mickey Mantle of the Yankees holds the record for the most career World Series runs scored with 42. Reggie Jackson and Paul Molitor each scored 10 runs in a single World Series. Babe Ruth and Albert Pujols are among the players who have scored 4 runs in a single World Series game.

The Yankees set the team record for most runs in a single World Series game with 18 in 1936. The most runs ever scored in a World Series game was 29 when the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies 15–14 in Game 4 of the 1993 World Series.