OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES

9.08 SacrificesThe official scorer shall:Rule 9.08(a) Score a sacrifice bunt when, before two are out, the batteradvances one or more runners with a bunt and is put out at firstbase, or would have been put out except for a fielding error,unless, in the judgment of the official scorer, the batter wasbunting exclusively for a base hit and not sacrificing his ownchance of reaching first base for the purpose of advancing arunner or runners, in which case the official scorer shall chargethe batter with a time at bat;Rule 9.08(a) Comment: In determining whether the batter hadbeen sacrificing his own chance of reaching first base for thepurpose of advancing a runner, the official scorer shall give thebatter the benefit of the doubt. The official scorer shall considerthe totality of the circumstances of the at-bat, includingthe inning, the number of outs and the score.(b) Score a sacrifice bunt when, before two are out, the fieldershandle a bunted ball without error in an unsuccessful attemptto put out a preceding runner advancing one base, unless, anattempt to turn a bunt into a putout of a preceding runnerfails, and in the judgment of the official scorer ordinary effortwould not have put out the batter at first base, in which casethe batter shall be credited with a one-base hit and not a sacrifice;(c) Not score a sacrifice bunt when any runner is put out attemptingto advance one base on a bunt, or would have been put out,except for a fielding error, in which case the official scorershall charge the batter with a time at bat; and(d) Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits aball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running inthe outfield in fair or foul territory that(1) is caught, and a runner scores after the catch, or(2) is dropped, and a runner scores, if in the scorer’s judgmentthe runner could have scored after the catch had thefly been caught.115