Why Torii Hunter’s game-winning double was actually a single Friday night

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Torii Hunter’s game-winning hit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning Friday night hit the warning track and bounced into the left-field seats for what appeared to be a ground-rule double.

But the Angels outfielder was credited with a single and one run batted in instead of two, and the final score was a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians. The reason can be found in Major League Baseball’s Rule 4.11 (c) which states:

If the home team scores the winning run in its half of the ninth inning (or its half of an extra inning after a tie), the game ends immediately when the winning run is scored. EXCEPTION: If the last batter in a game hits a home run out of the playing field, the batter-runner and all runners on base are permitted to score, in accordance with the base-running rules, and the game ends when the batter-runner touches home plate.

Hunter was glad to get the victory, but he admitted he would be ‘pretty ticked off’ if he finishes the season with 99 RBIs.

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-- Mike DiGiovanna