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San Diego Padres technically lose to Arizona Diamondbacks despite a thorough examination of the rulebook

"So I just get down on the ground here and then what are you gonna do?" "Boo-cake." "What's boo-cake?" "Super tasty pastry from Japan."
"So I just get down on the ground here and then what are you gonna do?" "Boo-cake." "What's boo-cake?" "Super tasty pastry from Japan."

You know what's great about baseball is the fact that Heath Bell, our highest paid player, our all-star, can give up back to back home runs for the first time in his career to blow a save and actually have that overshadowed by a rule book.

If you missed the game, the Diamondbacks took us to extra innings and, with two outs, managed to load the bases. The batter then drew a walk, forcing the winning run in from third. HOWEVER... The Padres noticed that the runner from second, did not advance all the way to third base, but instead decided to head to home plate to see if he could help out with the boo-cake party.

The Padres then protested and appeared to have a pretty good case. HOWEVER HOWEVER... There also appears to be some pretty clear rules concerning exactly this situation... I quote them for you here...

Here's the one I found first, which I still kinda like. Emphasis mine:

Rule 7.04(b) Comment: A runner forced to advance without liability to be put out may advance past the base to which he is entitled only at his peril. If such a runner, forced to advance, is put out for the third out before a preceding runner, also forced to advance, touches home plate, the run shall score.


Play. Two out, bases full, batter walks but runner from second is overzealous and runs past third base toward home and is tagged out on a throw by the catcher. Even though two are out, the run would score on the theory that the run was forced home by the base on balls and that all the runners needed to do was proceed and touch the next base.

Scan quotes Rule 4.09(b):

(b) 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 touched first base.

I quote Gaslamp Ball Rule 31.2(c):

The Padres bullpen shall not allow a run after the 7th inning, or in any half inning post the 6th inning. In the event that the bullpen allows a run, Padres season is declared null and Padres Fan must engage his terrible season emergency kit to advance with life.


Final - 9.10.2011 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
San Diego Padres 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 5 10 0
Arizona Diamondbacks 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 All hell
breaks
loose
6 11 0
WP: David "Happened to Be There" Hernandez (4 - 3)
LP: Brad "Not Heath Bell" Brach (0 - 1)

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