OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES

Rule 5.09This rule also covers the following and similar plays: Less thantwo out, score tied last of ninth inning, runner on first, batterhits a ball out of park for winning run, the runner on firstpasses second and thinking the home run automatically winsthe game, cuts across diamond toward his bench as batter-runnercircles bases. In this case, the base runner would be calledout “for abandoning his effort to touch the next base” and batter-runnerpermitted to continue around bases to make hishome run valid. If there are two out, home run would notcount. See Rule 5.09(d) (Rule 7.12). This is not an appealplay.PLAY—Runner believing he is called out on a tag at firstor third base starts for the dugout and progresses a reasonabledistance still indicating by his actions that he isout, shall be declared out for abandoning the bases.(3) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders afielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball;PENALTY: For penalties applying to a runner's intentionalinterference with a thrown ball or his hindranceof a fielder’s attempt to make a play on a batted ball, seeRule 6.01(a) PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE Com -ment (Rule 7.08(b) Comment).(4) He is tagged, when the ball is alive, while off his base.EXCEPTION: A batter-runner cannot be tagged out afteroverrunning or oversliding first base if he returns immediatelyto the base;APPROVED RULING: (A) If the impact of a runnerbreaks a base loose from its position, no play can bemade on that runner at that base if he had reached thebase safely.APPROVED RULING: (B) If a base is dislodged from itsposition during a play, any following runner on the sameplay shall be considered as touching or occupying thebase if, in the umpire’s judgment, he touches or occupiesthe point marked by the dislodged bag.44