OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES

Rule 9.13 to 9.14(a) The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitchwhen a legally delivered ball is so high, so wide or so low thatthe catcher does not stop and control the ball by ordinary effort,thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. The officialscorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legallydelivered ball touches the ground or home plate before reachingthe catcher and is not handled by the catcher, thereby permittinga runner or runners to advance. When the third strike isa wild pitch, permitting the batter to reach first base, the officialscorer shall score a strikeout and a wild pitch.(b) The official scorer shall charge a catcher with a passed ballwhen the catcher fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ballthat should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort,thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. When thethird strike is a passed ball, permitting the batter to reach firstbase, the official scorer shall score a strikeout and a passed ball.Rule 9.13 Comment: The official scorer shall not charge a wildpitch or passed ball if the defensive team makes an out beforeany runners advance. For example, if a pitch touches theground and eludes the catcher with a runner on first base, butthe catcher recovers the ball and throws to second base in timeto retire the runner, the official scorer shall not charge thepitcher with a wild pitch. The official scorer shall credit theadvancement of any other runner on the play as a fielder’schoice. If a catcher drops a pitch, for example, with a runner onfirst base, but the catcher recovers the ball and throws to secondbase in time to retire the runner, the official scorer shall notcharge the catcher with a passed ball. The official scorer shallcredit the advancement of any other runner on the play as afielder’s choice.See Rules 9.07(a), 9.12(e) and 9.12(f ) (Rules 10.07(a),10.12(e) and 10.12(f)) for additional scoring rules relating towild pitches and passed balls.9.14 Base on BallsA base on balls is defined in the Definition of Terms (Base onBalls).124