Extra innings

For the subscription TV package, see MLB Extra Innings. For the Twilight Zone episode, see Extra Innings (The Twilight Zone). For the Indian cricket show that aired on SET Max, see Extraaa Innings T20. For the 1991 video game, see Extra Innings (1991 video game).
Line score of the longest professional baseball game, which lasted 24 extra innings; 33 innings total.

Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.

Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine regulation innings (in softball and high school baseball games there are typically seven innings; in Little League Baseball, six), each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat. However, if the score remains tied at the end of the regulation number of complete innings, the rules provide that "play shall continue until

  1. The visiting team has scored more total runs than the home team at the end of a completed inning, or
  2. The home team scores the winning run in an uncompleted inning."

(Since the home team bats second, condition (2) does not allow the visiting team to score more runs before the end of the inning, unless the game is called before the inning ends).

The rules of the game, including the batting order, availability of substitute players and pitchers, etc., remain intact in extra innings. Managers must display caution to avoid exhausting all their substitute players during regular innings, in case the game reaches extensive extra innings. The rules call for a forfeiture if a team is unable to field a full team of nine players.[1]

  1. ^ Major League Baseball (2017). "Rule 7.03(b)". Official Baseball Rules (PDF) (2017 ed.). Major League Baseball. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-9961140-4-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-12-15. Retrieved 25 September 2017. Subscribe to peediepie