With bases loaded and one out, B5 hits a line drive to the right-field fence. R3 and R2 both score, but R1 is thrown out at home. B5 safely arrives at third, but misses first base. The defense properly appeals B5's missing first base. How many runs score?

• A. Two runs score.
• B. No runs will be scored.
• C. One run will score.
• D. Three runs will be scored.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that an appeal on a missed base can end the play and affect scoring. If a runner misses a base and the defense makes a legal time-of-appeal, the runner is out. If that appeal ends up being the third out of the inning, any runs that would have scored on that same play do not count.

In this situation, with bases loaded and one out, the line drive to the right-field fence puts R3 and R2 in to score and R1 out at home. The batter-runner reaches third but did not touch first base. The defense correctly appeals that B5 missed first base. That appeal is timely, and B5 is ruled out on the appeal. Since the third out is recorded on that appeal, no runs are counted from that play. If the appeal hadn’t happened (or wasn’t successful), runs could be scored differently.